A tutorial for Millie, Emmeline, Gabby and Rachel!
. . . . .
Twenty-three, I’ve decided, is the new twenty-one.
I know a surprising number of 23 year olds (including our own Big Boy) and they all seem to have found their groove – they’re confident, mature and comfortable in their own skins. Any early 20s angst has subsided, their opinions are considered and sophisticated, and they’re a joy to spend time with. This is their world now.
Last weekend, I took my filled focaccia to a neighbourhood get-together, and was describing the recipe to lovely Emmeline (23), who was keen to try a vegetarian version.
On Monday, Millie (23) came to help us with the garden, and I made a slab for lunch. She too was interested in the recipe, so I sent her home with a bag of bread flour and some yeast. The brilliant girl made a vegan version that evening, filled with olives, sundried tomatoes, artichokes, figs, apricots and nutritional yeast (a parmesan cheese substitute)…
It then occurred to me that this was the perfect first bread recipe to teach Big Boy (23). He certainly loves eating it, and the ingredients are always on hand!
Let him show you how easy it is…
Step 1: scoop 500g bakers (bread) flour into a large mixing bowl. That’s about 3½ cups, but it’s much more accurate if you use a set of scales. Add 10g (or one sachet) of dried yeast…
Step 2: add 7g (1 level teaspoon) of fine sea salt…
Step 3: Stir all the ingredients together…
Step 4: chop or tear up filling ingredients. Big Boy chose to use 150g ham offcuts…
…four dried figs, stems removed, cut up…
…and 100g Dorset cheddar…
Step 5: Add the filling ingredients to the flour. Then add in 320g (or 320ml, or 1 and 1/3 cups, but weighing is more accurate) of cool tap water…
…and 50ml (10 teaspoons) of olive oil (or 50g, whichever is easier)..
Step 6: mix all the ingredients together, either with a spatula or a clean hand. Mix until all the dry flour is incorporated…
Step 7: cover the bowl with a shower cap or cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step 8: uncover the bowl, and using a clean hand, knead the dough very briefly, for less than a minute. It will be sticky at this stage. Then cover the bowl again with the shower cap and let it rest until puffy and doubled in size, about an hour.
This is what the risen dough will look like after an hour or so proving time…
Step 9: Preheat the oven to 230C with fan. Line a baking tray with parchment paper (Glad Bake or similar). Scrape the dough into the middle of the tray…
Step 10: pour a little oil onto your hands and gently work the dough into a flat rectangular shape. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Try not to squish too much air out of the dough – you want it to be about 3cm thick when you’re finished.
Step 11: pour a good drizzle of olive oil over the top and sprinkle with a bit more salt…
Step 12: rub the oil over the top of the dough and then stick your fingertips in to make dimples. Push right through to the bottom of the tray (don’t worry, the dough will expand and fill up the holes as it bakes)…
I think Big Boy did a very good job on his first attempt!
Step 13: allow the dough to rest for another 10 minutes or so (it will puff up a tiny bit more). Once the oven is hot, pop the dough in and turn the heat down to 220C with fan. Set the timer for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, carefully rotate the tray in the oven, then bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes until golden (in our big oven, it only needs 20 minutes in total).
Step 14: tah-dah! Take many, many photos for Instagram! Allow the focaccia to cool on a wire rack for half an hour or so before scoffing (if you can).
This simple recipe can be made plain, filled, vegetarian, vegan or meat-packed. It’s perfect for lunches, snacks and parties, and it’s a great way to use up leftover antipasti in the fridge. Ok all you 23 year olds, it’s time to get baking!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
good job….simple, even a 23 year old can do it :)
Celia – wherever on earth were you x number of years ago when at age 23 I first managed to get married and also achieved to burn a raw steak :) ? Wonderful to read a post from you and more so to realize your knowledge is growing on an exponential scale – sheesh: hope the lovely girls appreciate :) !
Yum. It’s lunchtime here and now I’m very hungry!
Was Big Boy ‘eye-balling’ the oil measurments?! Wow, that’s some skill! I’m alwasy too scared to do it.
You’ve got a good eye D, I wondered if someone would ask that. No, he was watching the scales and put in 50g. Not quite the same as 50ml but close enough in this recipe. :)
I’m very impressed and motivated to do this with my almost 12 yr old. Your Big Boy makes it look so easy with the tutorial. May I just add that the photographer did a brilliant job as well? They say if one has beautiful hands they have a beautiful kind spirit. Big Boy has beautiful hands … God bless him.
Brilliant, Celia and Big Boy. I have two rapidly growing boys I’d like to introduce this to. Inspirational!
Brilliant!
Thank you for the step by step pictures… very helpful.
Celia, thanks so much for the instructions. I am almost 23 x 3 and I have just learned to make sourdough and your tutorials have been so helpful and now I have something elst that is new to try. Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? LOL!
Absolutely brilliant! I’ll be using this recipe for the 5, 7 and 8 year olds in our house. They want to try baking more and more and everyone loves focaccia. I’m sure they could come up with some fun add ins for the filling.
Fantastic job.
Celia, I would love to be teaching some 23-year-olds how to cook. Fun! This has me asking myself why I always just make plain focaccia!
Easy peasy.
The young folk in your life (and us too) are so lucky to have you to teach and inspire us. Can you believe that me, a good Italian daughter, has never made focaccia?! Time to put that right!!
I am not 23 Celia but I do love your bread tutorials x
Lovely post! I too was wondering if the oil was being eyeballed! Lol
I have made it quite often and it is really super easy and tasty. Thanks for the tutorial. I will keep it in mind for my growing children.
Like mother, like son – wonderful job!
Have a happy weekend.
:-) Mandy xo
A multi-generational post it would seem Celia, this works for 60 year olds too. ;)
That looks wonderful, and as I have all of the ingredients I will try it this weekend. I’m sure The Management won’t complain! (Maybe I could get him to make it…..)
I will definitely give this a try. Thanks! I’ll just need to convert everything from metric to the American’s archaic measurement system first!
Brad, the flour is about 3.5cups, the water about 1.33 cups. Oil in dough is 10 teaspoons (or 3 US tablespoons + 1 teaspoon). 150g ham is roughly 5.5oz, 100g cheese was 3.5oz. Use 1 sachet of yeast – 10g is about 2 teaspoons, and use 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (or 2 teaspoons kosher/Maldon salt). I’ll add all these back into the post when I get a chance.
I love this! I’ll have to try the vegan version although my carnivores would love the ham and cheese. mmm cheese…. Hugs, Maz
A wonderful focaccia, Celia.Your son made a real beauty and I love his selection of ingredients. It’s been along time since i was 23. In fact, I’m closer to triple that age than double. May I still make your focaccia? :)
Might have to rename this ‘for 41yr olds’ too 😉 – definitely going to give this a go – looks awesome. Actually, scratch that, I might let my 10 yr old at it too!!
Lost my bread making mojo recently. This could be just the thing to get it back. I used to make Jamie Oliver tomato focaccia which is super impressive when feeding a crowd. This looks even easier
Bah. I’m adopting this for the 30-somethings too! Love the vegan version… I wish my friends could cook like this when we were all 23 too! xx
Nice work Celia! Beautiful kids too! Mych love and bread ❤️
And 60 year olds as well!
OMG THIS LOOKS AMAZING!