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Picota Cherry and Feta Focaccia

Try this wonderful yeast-bake to make the most of delicious Picota cherries. 

Serves 8 

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus approx. 1 hour 40 minutes rising time 

Cooking time: 25 minutes 

Suitable for vegetarians 

Ingredients

500g strong white bread flour 

1 sachet (7g) dried yeast 

1tsp salt 

1tsp caster sugar 

2tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary 

50ml extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling 

325ml tepid water 

Plain white flour, for dusting 

150g Picota cherries, pitted 

150g feta cheese, cut into chunks 

A few rosemary sprigs 

2-3 pinches of sea salt 

Method

1 Put the flour into a bowl and stir in the yeast. Add the salt, sugar, chopped rosemary, oil and water and mix well with your hand. Bring the dough together to form a ball. 

2 Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead it vigorously by pulling and stretching it for at least 10 minutes. Put the dough into a large well-oiled bowl to rise for an hour in a warm 

draught-free spot, covered with a clean tea towel. 

3 Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead gently for about 20 seconds. Roll it out or stretch it out to fit a large rectangular baking tray or roasting tin. Leave the dough to rise for about 30-40 minutes in a warm draught-fee place, loosely covered with a tea towel. 

4 Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan oven 200°C/Gas mark 7. 

5 When the dough has risen, gently use your fingertips to make indentations over the surface and tuck in the cherries, feta cheese and rosemary sprigs. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. 

Cook’s tip: It’s wonderfully satisfying to make your own yeast-bakes, so plan ahead so that you have enough time in the kitchen. 

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