2020.
A new decade.
I start it with the same tradition.
For the past few years, I have woken up on new year’s day and baked bread. A quiet ritual I literally stole from Nigel Slater, an English cook and food writer.
His simple statement: ‘I begin the year with flour on my hands. Something of a ritual’ stayed with me from the moment I read it to the following new year’s day. I saved and bookmarked many a bread recipe throughout that year, wondering which one would be THE ONE to start a new tradition with.
And you know what?
I actually don’t remember which bread recipe I made that first year.
But I do remember the quiet calm of my kitchen that morning, and I do remember the tiny nugget of hope I did not directly look at, and a wish that starting the new year in such a soft way would maybe set the tone for the year to come.
And so a tradition, a ritual, was born.
Every year, a wish.
Every year, a new bread recipe.
And this year, a return to the man himself, baking Nigel Slater’s green olive and thyme focaccia from his book A Year of Good Eating, otherwise known as Kitchen Diaries III. It’s a rustic, homey loaf filled with lemon-scented olives, herbs and sea salt.
Serve toasted with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, balsamic glaze and lots of fresh herbs. Or just tear it into chunks and eat it while it’s warm out of the oven.
Happy new year, peoples.
Green Olive and Thyme Focaccia
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 7 g easy bake dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon olive oil*
- 350 ml warm water
- 85 g lemon marinated or green olives, stoned and roughly chopped
- 4 sprigs of thyme, picked
- Sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Rub the bottom of the baking tin with a little of the oil. Set the oven at 220°C.
- Put the flour and yeast into a large bowl and add the sea salt, finely crushed then 1 tablespoon of the oil and the warm water. Mix thoroughly, then turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly for five minutes or so.500 g strong white bread flour, 7 g easy bake dried yeast, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 3-4 tablespoons lemon olive oil*, 350 ml warm water
- As soon as the dough feels elastic, put it into a lightly floured bowl, cover with a cloth or clingfilm, then leave it in a warm place to rise.
- Once it has doubled in size – about an hour or so – gently press it down with your fist, knocking some of the air out. Remove the dough from its bowl (it will sink more, but no matter) on to a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle over the olives and thyme leaves and knead them into the dough.85 g lemon marinated or green olives, 4 sprigs of thyme
- Place the dough into the baking tin and push it firmly to flatten it. Cover as much of the bottom as you can, but don’t worry about it if it doesn’t quite cover it. Set aside, covered with clingfilm, for a further 30 minutes or so, until well risen.
- With a floured finger, push several holes deep into the dough, then spoon over half the olive oil. Scatter liberally with salt flakes. Bake for 25-30 minutes until pale gold and sounds hollow when tapped on the base, then spoon over the remaining oil.Sea salt flakes
- While still warm, free the bread from the pan with a palette knife, leave to cool a little, then tear or slice into pieces.
Nutrition
2 Comments
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
It’s a great recipe, isn’t it? I’m glad you liked it!