Citro-Soda Spicy Tomato, Brie and Cranberry Focaccia 

Homemade Foccacia bread is very simple to make, no fancy equipment but if you’re concerned about the level of spiciness and the indulgence of the creamy brie cheese do not fear! 

Serves: 8-12
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Recipe by: Thando Manyoni

Ingredients:

1 1/3 Cup warm water
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dry yeast
3 ½ Cup flour
¼ Cup olive oil
½ Cup sundried tomato pesto
¼ Cup dried cranberries
125g Brie cheese, cut into blocks

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190°C and prepare a baking sheet.
In a large bowl combine the warm water and sugar, stir to dissolve. Stir the yeast into the water and set the mixture aside until foamy.
Gradually add in the flour, olive oil and salt and knead until a saggy dough begins to form. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth, adding flour if it feels too sticky.
Oil a separate bowl with a generous amount of oil and transfer the dough into the bowl. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow to proof until doubled in size
Place the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle, 2-3cm thick. Transfer onto the baking sheet. Cover and allow to proof for another 20 minutes.
Remove the cloth, use your finger and poke deep dents all over the dough, drizzle a couple tablespoons of olive oil, top with dollops of pesto, sprinkle over the cranberries and press in the pieces of brie.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the dough is slightly golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and drizzle a little more oil and sprinkle with flaked salt if desired.

Chefs Tip: Roll the bread as thick as you desire, it will rise up considerably while baking.

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