Rosemary & sea salt focaccia

Pots of growing rosemary in the kitchen are a great Christmas standby. Add a few sprigs with garlic to your Christmas Day roast potatoes or try adding to your turkey while it cooks.

With wet hands, gently ease the dough away from the bowl. Pull up gently from the middle until it comes away, then carefully lower it back in, so the ends tuck under the middle. Give the bowl a ¼ turn, repeat 3 more times, then cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes more.

Repeat the process twice more, then cover and leave to rise for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size and bubbly. Line a rectangular metal tray, (about 33x23x5cm) with baking parchment, oil your hands and carefully move the dough to the tray. Drizzle over 1 tbsp oil and gently push and stretch the dough almost to the edges (try not to tear it). Cover loosely, then set aside to prove for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, until almost doubled in size, jiggly when the tin is shaken and with large air bubbles.

Preheat the oven to 250°C, gas mark 9. Once the focaccia has proved, pour the remaining 4 tbsp oil over, dimple it all over with your fingertips, then scatter over the rosemary and sea salt flakes. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until risen, deep golden and crusty. Remove from the oven, drizzle over more oil (optional), and remove from the tin onto a wire rack. Cool until just warm, then slice thickly. The focaccia is best on the day it’s baked.