A fig and walnut focaccia drizzled with rosemary and garlic infused oil. This focaccia has a deeply pleasing thick crust with the softest doughy inside. This really is the easiest recipe to get warm, indulgent bread in next to no time since it requires less than 30 minutes prep (and only 5 minutes of that is actual kneading!).
The ingredients
This is traditionally known as peasants bread made from frugal ingredients including flour, water and yeast. I couldn’t resist adding a little indulgence with sweet fig and roasted walnut. The result is an intense mouthwatering focaccia rich in both texture and flavour. I had to stop myself going back for slice after slice, it really is just so soft and doughy! I like to be extra gluttonous and add vegan cream cheese. The smooth tangy flavour pairs perfectly with the warm roasted walnuts.
The method
Warm the oil in a pan and add the rosemary. Turn off the heat and allow the garlic to infuse. Next add the yeast to the water, allowing it to activate. Add to your bowl of flour, salt, and oil. Mix with a spoon until the spoon gives up turning (you will know exactly what I mean!). Then turn out onto a generously floured surface. The trick in getting a light, airy crumb is in kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Don’t despair, this doesn’t mean an arduous task is beckoning, a 5 minute knead is enough to turn your sticky, chewing gum mess of a dough into a smooth as a baby’s butt dough.
Now you can relax, leave your glistening dough to prove for 1 hour or doubled in size, and go take a well deserved ‘rest’ (aka a netflix binge, anyone else currently addicted to squid game?). Finally stretch out the dough into an oiled tin and leave for a further 30 minutes. Pre heat your oven and prepare the figs and walnuts. Lovingly press dimple after dimple into your dough and pour over the fig, chopped walnuts, remaining oil and flecks of rosemary. Bake at 200C fan for 20 minutes and golden brown.
Leave a comment and let me know how you get on making this fig and walnut focaccia. I would love to see your creations over on instagram!
Fancy more bread? Well of course you do…
Fig and Walnut Focaccia
Ingredients
- 150 ml olive oil plus 2 tbsp
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary plus extra sprigs
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 7 g dried fast action yeast
- 300 ml lukewarm water
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 60 g walnuts
- 3 figs
Instructions
- Heat 150 mls of olive oil over a low heat. Finely chop the fresh rosemary and add to the pan. Turn off the heat and add the garlic. Leave to infuse.
- In a bowl, mix the yeast and warm water. Then in a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and half of the garlic infused oil. Pour in the yeasty water. Mix with a spoon until the dough comes together
- Turn out onto a generously floured work surface. Knead for 5 minutes. The dough will be very sticky, flour your hands and the dough as necessary until you have a soft elastic dough.
- Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rise for 1 hour.
- Add 1tbsp oil to a 25×35 rectangle rimmed baking tin. Stretch out the dough and place in the tin. Cover and leave for a further 30 minutes.
- Pre heat the oven to 220C/ 200C fan. Roughly chop the walnuts and cut the figs into small wedges.
- Using your fingers, prod the dough to create dimples. Pour over the walnuts, figs, remaining garlic infused oil and extra sprigs of rosemary.
- Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven. Drizzle over 1tbsp of olive oil. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Can be eaten warm or cool. The choice is yours!