Focaccia Bread

Directions

1. 1
   In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the flour, semolina and yeast with a generous pinch of salt and sugar.
2. 2
   Mix the warm water with the olive oil in another bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and gradually add the liquid. It's easiest to mix this with a fork to start with and then, when it is just coming together, use your hands to make it into a ball.
3. 3
   Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth, elastic and springy to the touch.
4. 4
   Place the dough in a large floured mixing bowl and leave to rise in a warm place for 30-60 minutes until doubled in size.
5. 5
   Preheat the oven to 200°C/395°F.
6. 6
   Place the risen dough in an oiled baking tray (about 15 x 24cm) and sprinkle with a little salt. Grease your fingers with a little olive oil and press the dough all the way to the edges of the tray.
7. 7
   Press the olives and sun-dried tomatoes into the dough so that they are slightly poking above the surface. Season with salt and pepper and scatter over the rosemary leaves.
8. 8
   Drizzle the bread with a little extra olive oil and place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove from oven.
9. 9
   Turn bread out of the tray, then transfer to a board, top with caramelized onions, slice and serve.
10. 10
    Note: Bread flour is a suitable substitution for strong bread flour.
11. 11
    There is nothing better than cooking and smelling homemade bread in your own house. Sometimes cooking homemade bread can be a daunting and intimidating task, however when you decide to embark on this baking journey it is ever so rewarding! My wife and I decided to do focaccia bread. The idea came when we were watching Gordon Ramsay's Cookery Course, and he made focaccia bread that looked so good. We replicated his recipe with a few additions of our own.