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Ah, the weekend of baking. It was the day before my first day at work for over two weeks. We’d sworn off booze for three weeks (soon to be somewhat foreshortened to one week) and the weather was its usual dull hue so the only thing for it was to cook like fiends. The dinner was due some accompanying bread and despite the fact that I’d already made a tasty little spelt and olive number, what we craved was something a little more doughy and white. So foccaccia then. And yet again just the right ingredients lay behind those cupboard doors, oh what great fortune.

Prepared to the sound of the Freak Zone on 6 Music, it took a little time to rise, perhaps some of the more obscure sound combinations emanating from the radio were too much for the humble loaf to bear.

Preparation time: 15 minutes + rising time 2 hours
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Skill level: medium

Ingredients

• strong white flour - 475g
• sugar - 1tsp
• salt - 1tsp
• dried yeast - 1 1/2tsp
• olive oil - 3tbsp
• water - 275ml

Topping:

• cherry tomatoes - 200g
• olives - some
• salt flakes - 1tsp
• olive oil - 3 tbsp

Put the flour, sugar, salt and yeast into a large bowl. Add the olive oil then mix in enough water to make a soft dough.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Return the dough to the bowl whence it came, cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for an hour or so to double in size. If it’s deep midwinter you may need longer than an hour, but do be patient else your dough won’t scale the heights of brilliance to which you have become accustomed.

Once risen knead the dough on a lightly floured surface. Then cut in two. Shape each into an oval and place on a large greased baking sheet some distance apart from each other. Make indentations with the end of a wooden spoon and then fill those dimples with the olives and tomatoes. Sprinkle the loaves with salt flakes and leave to rise, uncovered, another hour.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for 15 minutes at 200C (gas mark 6).

Remove from oven and wait for it to cool a little before tearing off chunks and eating more of it than you’d planned to.

Verdict: A moreish bread with tomatoes and olives in it, surely if you eat enough that should be two of your five portions dealt with.

Drink: Grenadine and tonic. Alcohol-free but almost convincingly not.

Entertainment: Something edifying.