Garden focaccia

Serve this herby, fragrant focaccia with honey, figs and cheese for a truly stand-out picnic or alfresco lunch.

Ingredients

• 10g/⅓oz rosemary, leaves picked
• 10g/⅓oz dill, fronds picked
• 10g/⅓oz sage, leaves picked
• 10g/⅓oz parsley, leaves picked
• 60ml/2fl oz olive oil, plus extra for drizzling and greasing
• 600g/1lb 5oz strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp salt
• 14g/½oz fast action dried yeast
• 1 stick rhubarb, sliced into strips
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 1 courgette, peeled into ribbons
• handful fresh herbs and edible flowers (such as parsley, sage, dill, nasturtiums or lavender)
• 1 tbsp flaked sea salt

To serve

• honey, for drizzling
• fresh figs (optional)
• selection of cheeses (optional)

Method

1. Put the rosemary, dill, sage, parsley and oil in a blender and whizz together until combined.

2. Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl, then pour in the herby oil, the yeast and 300ml/10fl oz tepid water. Knead for 7–10 minutes until smooth and combined. This can be done by hand, or using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.

3. Lightly grease a bowl, add the dough and cover with a tea towel. Leave to prove for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

4. Preheat the oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9 and place a baking tray in the oven to heat up.

5. Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and spread out with your hands to fit a 30x20cm/12x10in baking tin. Lower into the tin and leave to prove for another 20 minutes.

6. Push the rhubarb, onion and courgette slices into the top of the dough with your fingertips, sprinkle with the sea salt and drizzle over a good glug of olive oil.

7. Slide the dough onto the preheated tray and bake for 20 minutes. Top with the fresh herbs and flowers and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden brown.

8. Leave to cool, then serve on a big board with a drizzle of honey, fresh figs and a selection of cheese, if you like.

Garden focaccia