INGREDIENTS
The Dough
50g Active Starter
440g Water room temperature
512g Strong white bread flour
100g Extra virgin olive oil + 100g for drizzling
12g Salt fine
Posh salt for sprinkling on top Maldon or fleur de sel
2-3 cloves garlic finely sliced
2 springs rosemary chopped fine
METHOD
In a large bowl mix together your starter, salt, water and olive oil with a spatula. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated.
Leave covered with a damp cloth for 30 mins to allow the flour to fully hydrate. Now perform on fold, stretching the dough and folding it on its self, to work the gluten. Turn your bowl quarter turns and repeat 10 times.
Drizzle with olive oil and rub to coat the surface. Cover with the damp cloth and set aside for 4-18 hours at room temperature depending on the strength of your starter and time of year.
Once your dough has doubled in size, splash some olive oil in to a 9 x 13 dish. Here I like to line the base with all sorts of power flavors such as smoked garlic, chopped anchovies, sun dried tomatoes, chopped herbs, chilli's, olives or tapenade, anything you like really that's left in your cupboard/fridge.
Take your dough out of the bowl gently deflating, lay into the line 9 x 13 dish. Drizzle with olive oil, cover with cling film and allow to prove for 4-6 hours or until puffed up and nearly double the size.
Sprinkle sea salt on top generously. Bake at 220c for 25 mins until golden brown. Remove from the oven, drizzle with more oil and sprinkle on your sliced garlic and chopped rosemary, return to the oven for 2-3 mins.
Cool for 20 mins before slicing.
CHEF'S TABLE
Use the best olive oil you can, the result will be amazing!