focaccia

I have finally got the right recipe for a focaccia you will not be able to tell the difference from the original one. This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, but it contains one teaspoon of sugar as it needs to interact with the yeast to help the rising of the dough. This focaccia is best eaten on the same day you bake it, otherwise freeze as soon as it cools down, so it keeps its freshness.

PREPARATION & COOKING TIME: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS for 4 pieces:

7g of fast-action dried yeast

1 tsp caster sugar

200ml of rice milk, warm

250g of gluten-free flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 egg, beaten

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra 2 tablespoons for the top

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp white wine vinegar

• Grease a 24 x 18 cm rectangular baking tray with oil
• Mix the yeast, sugar and a bit of the warm rice milk together in a bowl and leave to foam up a bit while you measure the rest of the ingredients
• Sift together the flour and xanthan gum, add the egg, oil, salt and the rest of the warm rice milk and mix together.
• Scrape in the foaming yeast and mix until smooth, sticky and fully combined
• In a separate glass, fizz up the bicarbonate of soda with the vinegar then fold into the mixture.
• Distribute the dough evenly on the baking tray and with a wet hand, smooth the surface of the focaccia

• Cover with a sheet of greased cling film and pop in the airing cupboard, or somewhere warm, for an hour to prove, in which time it should rise noticeably
• Preheat the oven to 190°C/375F
• Once the bread has doubled in size, take off the cling film and with your fingers make holes into the dough to make indentations to collect the olive oil

• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden and nicely puffed up.

• Eat once warm or cool. You can also freeze once cooled down, so you keep the freshness for further use.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER PORTION
energy kcal	375.8
fat	14.7
of which saturated	2.3
carbohydrates	56.5
of which sugars	5.1
fibre	1.1
protein	3.1
salt	1.5