Sunday Roast Veg Focaccia

Sunday Roast Veg Focaccia

It’s Sunday and I just didn’t have the energy for a fully sunday roast but I did have the fortune to make a dough last night and today it was as soft as my wobbly belly and ready for focaccia.

I par-boled some carrots, potatoes and garlic and after the dough got another oiled fingering, they were nestled gently into the pillowy clouds ready for a good roasting along with some fresh rosemary and fennel seeds.

And whilst it didn’t quite give us the full plate it certainly satisfied the Sunday cravings.

FOR THE FOCACCIA:

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fast action dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt (plus extra for sprinkling)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (I use extra-virgin olive oil)
• 360ml cold water

For the topping:

• plenty of olive oil for manipulation
• 2 carrots – sliced
• 6 new potatoes – sliced
• 6 garlic cloves
• Fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

First start with the focaccia dough (this benefits from an overnight rise in the fridge but if you’re too lazy and can’t wait, simply skip this part, it will be lovely.) 

I used my 24cm x 32cm x 7cm pan from NordicWare but any large roasting tin would work. Line it will parchment paper and generously wipe the inside with olive oil.

I’m also using my smeg stand-mixer but this can easily be done in a large bowl with your hand.  It’s quite a wet dough so I’d advise having plenty of olive oil handy to help you navigate all the stickiness.

Place all the focaccia ingredients into a bowl and bring them together with a spoon, your hand or a dough hook and knead gently for 5 mins, then with a well-oiled hand, pull and stretch the dough – once at each of the north, south, east and west points of the bowl. Return the dough to the stand mixer, or tip out onto an oiled surface and knead for a further 5 mins.

Place the dough into another oiled container (that has a lid), do the pull and stretch technique as before, then cover with the lid and set aside for 15 mins.  

With wet hands, repeat the pull and fold and rest twice more before covering in with a lid and setting aside for at least an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.  You should see some large bubbles on the top of the dough.  

You can use it straight away or leave it in the fridge overnight for a stronger, richer flavour.  Take it out of the fridge 1 hour before moving on to the next stage.

Time to bake

Place the carrots, potatoes and garlic into a pan of slated water and bring to the boil.  Boil for 5 mins or until the veg are just tender.  Drain well and drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Make sure this is mixed well so all the veg is covered. Set aside.

Pre-heat the oven too 220C

Gently tip the dough into the oiled roasting tin. Rub your fingertips in olive oil and gently tease the dough out to the corners of the pan.  It will spring back but that’s fine.  Cover with clingfilm or a tea towel and set aside for 30 mins for the second prove.

After 30 mins the dough should have almost all but filled the baking trays.  

Drizzle with oil, then poke your fingers over the dough surface.  I do it in semi-uniformed rows. Push the vegetables into the dough.  I went for an alternate row of potatoes and carrots and then poked the garlic in randomly.

Sprinkle the top generously with salt and fennel seeds and poke some rosemary twigs into the top.

Bake in the oven for 40 – 45 mins until golden brown. Once it comes out of the oven, drizzle with a little more olive oil.

Leave to cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

For more bread recipes, check these out on Dom in the Kitchen.

Eat and of course, enjoy!