Rosemary Spelt Focaccia

I love focaccia but I thought it might be nice to try it with spelt flour for some more flavour.   I tried a few different recipes and this one had the special springy bounce that is signature with this bread.  Perfect to dunk in a roast pumpkin soup or eat in it's entirety on a Friday night with red wine and olive oil!

Spelt

1 loaf

Ingredients:

450g spelt flour

400ml tepid water/slightly warn

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp fast action yeast, (usually in 7g sachets, so use two tsp of this)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive, plus extra for drizzling

small bunch of rosemary

In a large bowl mix together the flour, yeast, salt and olive oil.  Make a well in the middle and slowly add a little of the tepid water into the middle.  Gently mix with a wooden spoon and continue adding in the water until you have a wet, sticky dough.  You may not need all of the water.  Cover with cling film and leave for 30 minutes.

Grease one of your hands with olive oil and pick up the dough turning it over and smacking it back into the bowl.  Continue kneading and bashing the dough for 2 minutes and then cover with cling film and place into a warm dry place to double in size which will take about an hour.

Get a small baking tray (roughly 20cm by 25cm) and line with baking paper.  Tip in the dough and pull into an oblong shape.  Grease some cling film and carefully lay on top of the dough leaving to prove in a warm dry place for another hour or until it has doubled in size again.  Then preheat oven to 220 degrees and carefully remove the cling film from the risen dough.  Gently smooth olive oil over the top of the dough and use your finger to randomly prod some holes and then place a few rosemary leaves in each hole.  Sprinkle over with sea salt and black pepper and into the oven for about 24 minutes or until the top is golden and has formed a nice crust but still be springly.   The underneath of the bread should feel a little hollow when tapped and if you are worried then tip it over and bake upside-down for 5 minutes.  Leave to cool on a cooling rack and then dip in!