One thing I cannot resist making once the black grapes hit the market is grapes and rosemary foccacia. It's crusty yet juicy exterior with a soft crumb, the hint of sweet and savory in each bite just uplifts your taste buds. My whole house smells of rosemary. It's so inviting. The best part is it's very easy to make. Please use only extra virgin olive oil. So what are we waiting for. Let's make Grapes and Rosemary Foccacia.
Ingredients All Purpose Flour 1 cup and 2 tbsp Water 1/2 cup Yeast 1/2 tsp Castor sugar 1+1 tbsp Salt 1 +1/2 tsp Rosemary 1/2 tbsp Olive oil 1+2 tbsp plus for greasing the pan Grapes 10-12 cut into half lengthwise Method.
Take warm water. Water should be just warm to touch. If it's warmer than that then the chances are that you will kill the yeast.
Add a pinch of sugar and yeast. Mix well.
Leave it for ten minutes. You will see a slight froth on top of water.
Take flour in a bowl. Mix in 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar.
Pour in the yeast water and 1 tbsp oil.
Mix well. Cover and leave either for 10 minutes.
Knead it for a minute or two to just mix the dough properly.
Grease another bowl. Shift the dough into this bowl.
Now wet your fingers. Lift the dough from one end and stretch as much as you can without breaking. Fold it over the dough.
Rotate the bowl a quarter. Repeat the above step.
Rotate the bowl twice more and repeat the step.
This completes one set of stretch and fold.
Cover the bowl. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Do another set of stretch and fold.
Let the dough rest again for 15 minutes.
Repeat a set of stretch and fold.
So in total we have done 3 sets of stretch and fold.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate it.
You can leave either in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
Whenever you want to bake it, take it out from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. I left it for one hour.
Generously grease a 10" round pan with olive oil.
Transfer the dough to the pan.
Dip your fingertips in oil and press the dough outwards from the center.
This takes time. Be patient and be gentle.
The dough should cover the entire pan.
If you feel the dough is resisting, leave it for 5 minutes and the start again.
Cover and leave it for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile preheat your oven to 230 degrees celsius.
When the oven it almost preheated, place the grapes all over the dough, cut side down.
Sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/2 tbsp rosemary.
Pour 2 tbsp oil all over.
Bake it at 200 degrees celsius for 10minutes.
Reduce the temperature and bake it at 180 degrees Celsius till it is nice and golden. Should take approximately 10 minutes.
Remove it from the oven and remove the bread immediately from the pan and let it rest on a wire rack.
Slice it once it's cooled down.
Serve it warm.
Do try it. You won't be disappointed.