Note: can use, but doesn't require, a bread maker; if you don't
have a bread maker then use a food mixer with a dough hook,
otherwise do it the hard way with your hands, somehow.
Note: requires somewhere that is at 30 C ish for the dough to rise
(e.g. on top of a warm radiator).
Note: you may vary the toppings as you wish.
Note: can be frozen.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the bread:
0.5 tsp yeast
300 gm strong white flour or 260 gm plus 40 gm wheat gluten
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
200 ml water
30 gm reduced fat cheddar, grated (optional)
Suggested topping:
0.25 small red onion, finely chopped
the leaves from a large sprig of fresh thyme or the leaves
from a sprig of rosemary or 60 gm chopped
sunblushed/sundrenched tomatoes or 100 gm diced Stilton or all
of the above
Method
Warm the water a little, e.g. by giving it a 10
second burst in the microwave.
Mix together the yeast, flour (and gluten if using), 1
tbsp of the olive oil, the salt and the water: IF DOING THIS
IN A BREAD MAKER the mixing can be done by the bread maker,
on a pizza dough program, else do it in the bowl of your
food mixer.
Allow the bread maker programme to run, or attach a
dough-hook to your food mixer and mix gently at first then
on high speed for 5-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth
and elastic.
Pour the remainder of the olive oil into a large square
roasting tin.
When the dough is ready, turn it out into the tin and, with
oiled hands, fold it in half in the oil; flatten and repeat a
few times to incorporate the oil into the dough.
Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes then spread it out
with oiled fingers to a 20 to 25 cm square in the roasting
tin.
Cover the roasting tin with oiled cling film and place it
somewhere that is at around 30 C (e.g. a warming
drawer on setting 1, or on the top of a warm radiator) for
1 hour or until the dough has expanded to twice its original
volume.
While the dough is rising, mix together your chosen
toppings.
When the bread has risen, remove (but retain) the cling
film and scatter on your chosen topping then, holding your
fingers flat to make deep/long valleys, press them into the
dough to make dents.
Replace the oiled cling film on the tin and return the tin
to the warm place for another 30 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 190 C.
Use a pastry brush to spread the remaining oil from the
bottom of the tin (or an extra tablespoon if your bread is an
exact fit in the tin) over the top of the bread.
Optionally, top with a light sprinkling of cheddar.
Bake for 20 minutes for a soft doughy loaf just crispy on
top, another 5 minutes or so for a crustier less soft loaf.
