Sometimes a favour turns into anything but. A friend of ours has 2 fox terriers. The bitch is 9 months old and when she was nearly due to come on heat we offered to look after their male dog while she was in the mating phase. This coincided with him going to hospital but before he went we discussed the arrangements. We were there the night before his operation having dinner and confirmed everything. So, when his wife realized the mating cycle had started she told her husband who then called us, asking us to please fetch the dog. Which we did on a Saturday evening. When we arrived the maid said she thought we should not take the dog, and his sister-in-law agreed. But our friend wanted us to take the dog as he did not feel that they would keep the bitch away from him. So, after much discussion the dog was put into my car – and my soul, did he stink! Like week old fish! My dogs would not go near him and frankly I didn’t want him near me either. We were home late, Dave was sick and the last thing I felt like doing was bathing him. In fact, I didn’t even start feeding my starter for this focaccia as I was so tired. So, we put a dog bed and water into the main house and left him to sleep there. The following morning we bathed him three times and once the smell was mostly gone we left him to do his own thing. He is petrified to go anywhere and slowly we got him to pop his head into the cottage. We had left him the big garden and access to the house so he was comfortable. And then, on the Sunday night, the wife called, insisting we bring him home before we go to work on Monday morning! Like I have the time to drive up to their house which is in the opposite direction to my office? And against her husbands’ wishes! She didn’t call once during the day to see how he was and the maid whose main job is to walk the dogs didn’t come past. But a glass of wine later, she’s missing her dog so much! I feel sad for the dog who is clearly neglected as anyone who could allow a dog to stink so badly cannot really care about him. My sourdough starter is also mostly neglected. She gets fed once every two weeks, and then used for loaves that need very little attention. It’s basically because time has not been on my side lately. This sourdough focaccia needs 5 minutes of kneading and a lot of ignoring to be perfect.
Sourdough Focaccia
Ingredients
for the dough
- 500 g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 150 g fed starter
- 100 mls olive oil, divided
- 275 g water
- 10 g salt
for the salt water
- 30 mls boiling water
- 9 g salt
for the focaccia
- 90 g olives, patted dry
- 120 g baby tomatoes, cut in half
Method
for the dough
- Place the flour, starter, 50mls olive oil and the water into a stand mixer bowl
- Knead with a dough hook for 1 minute
- Add the salt and knead for a further 5 minutes, until the dough is soft
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes
- Place back into the bowl and cover
- Set aside to prove for 1 hour
for the salt water
- Make the salt water and set aside to cool
for the focaccia
- Place the olives into the dough and mix in
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and stretch to shape
- Place onto a lined baking tray
- Prick the top with a knife and press the cut tomatoes into the dough
- Brush the salt water mixture onto the top of the dough
- Pour over the remaining olive oil
- Leave the dough to rise for 45 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 220° Celsius
- Bake for 40 minutes
- Once baked, remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Blog checking lines:
For the month of April Rachael of pizzarossa and Sawsan of Chef in Disguise took us on a trip to Italy. They challenged us to try our hands at making focaccia from scratch
Dave and I are overseas in France. I will be back in my office on the 6th of May and I will start replying to comments then. To follow along with us, click here.
What I blogged April 27:
- three years ago – Lemon Verbena
How frustrating to be stuck in the middle of that situation. 🙁 Your focaccia sounds marvelous though. 🙂
thanks Krista 🙂
Lol, Tandy, I love how you combine the dog and your sourdough starter under the umbrella of neglect! Poor dog, hope there is a happy end to this sad story! In any case I will keep the recipe to make a focaccia later on!
Happy new week!
I will find out tonight if the ending is a happy one 🙂
Welcome back home, Tandy, and keeping my fingers crossed!
Thanks Barbara and I will cross fingers as well 🙂
Tandy, this sourdough focaccia looks absolutely delicious! Loving the idea of 5 minutes of kneading and lots of ignoring. Now I can master that!
That is my idea of a good bread 😉
Sorry about the dog situation – sounds unfortunate all around 🙁
But the focaccia didn’t suffer for it – looks splendid!
Thanks!
I’m so sorry about all the hassles with the dogs!! …but at least you have this lovely recipe! 🙂 Hope that everything goes well!
Me too!
Oh my goodness… What a nightmare, and that poor puppy. *sadfaces
Great Focaccia recipe tho, particularly love that it doesnt need a lot of love. Making on the weekend! 🙂
Hope it tasted good!
I love how generously you have topped it with the olives and tomatoes, this focaccia looks delicious 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks Uru 🙂
I love focaccia and I bet the olives and tomatoes are amazing with the sour dough flavour.
It was amazing 🙂
I do love the sound of this – Tandy – making focaccia with sourdough would give it so much more body – delicious.
Thanks Rachel 🙂
Oh that poor puppy….I keep seeing recipes for foccacia, I think it’s time I get one on the go!! Jan x
Have fun baking it!
I’ll bet that focaccio left a better smell in your home. You’re a good soul Tandy for running round after the dog like you did.
Thanks so much for saying that Tammy 🙂