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Olive Oil Flatbread

After attending a day making bread with Richard Bertinet in Bath, I am a complete convert to the process he teaches and his reverence to dough as it is so "alive"!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Canadian Italian
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Richard Bertinet

Ingredients

  • 18 ounces or 475g of white bread flour
  • 2 tablespoons or 30g course semolina
  • 1/2 ounce or 15g of fresh yeast (preferably) or 1/4 ounce envelope of active dry yeast (1 and 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 2 teaspoons or 10g fine grain , good quality salt
  • 5 tablespoons or 75g good quality olive oil
  • 11 1/2 ounces or 350g water (just over 12 fluid ounces)
  • 4 ounces or 60g olive oil , or more
  • sprigs of rosemary
  • course salt

Instructions

Instructions without the Thermomix:

  • Mix the bread flour and semolina together; rub in the yeast with fingers as if making the topping for a crumble
  • Add the salt, olive oil, and water mixing well until all are combined in the bowl
  • Transfer to the counter with the help of the rounded end of your scraper and work the dough as demonstrated in the video, below
  • Mold dough into a ball; lightly oil a bowl with EVOO or avocado oil and place the dough in the bowl covering with a lint free towel and rest in a warm place for 60 minutes, or until double in volume
  • With the help of the rounded end of your spatula, turn the dough out onto an oiled, parchment covered jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with edges
  • Using your fingers, push and prod the dough from the centre so that it spreads toward the edges of the pan (do not stretch or pull the dough)
  • Using a lintfree cloth, cover the dough and rest in a draft free place for 45 minutes
  • Dimple the dough again with your fingers; rest for 30 more minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 475 F
  • Pour the 4 ounces of olive oil into the dimples and over the surface of the flatbread; add more, if needed
  • Sprinkle or press rosemary leaves onto the surface of the dough
  • Sprinkle course salt over the surface of the dough and immediately place into the preheated red hot oven
  • Turn down oven to 425 F
  • Bake for 25 or 30 minutes, until golden brown
  • Remove from oven; slide onto wire rack to cool
  • Brush with more olive oil while still hot

Instructions with the Thermomix:

  • Scale the bread flour, semolina and yeast into the TM bowl; combine for 15 seconds from speed - to 6 or 7
  • Scale in the salt, olive oil, and water: combine for 15 seconds from speed - to 6 or 7 until mixture comes together inside of the bowl
  • Set the time for 3 minutes, the speed at the Interval setting (knead) using the wheat shaft icon: do not leave the kitchen while kneading with the machine
  • Lightly oil a bowl with EVOO or avocado oil
  • Remove the dough from the TM bowl and place oiled bowl covered with a lint free towel to rest in a warm place for 60 minutes, or until double in volume
  • With the help of the rounded end of your spatula, turn the dough out onto an oiled, parchment covered jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with edges
  • Using your fingers, push and prod the dough from the centre so that it spreads toward the edges of the pan (do not stretch or pull the dough)
  • Using a lintfree cloth, cover the dough and rest in a draft free place for 45 minutes
  • Dimple the dough again with your fingers; rest for 30 more minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 475 F
  • Pour the 4 ounces of olive oil into the dimples and over the surface of the flatbread; add more, if needed
  • Sprinkle or press rosemary leaves onto the surface of the dough
  • Sprinkle course salt over the surface of the dough and immediately place into the preheated red hot oven
  • Turn down oven to 425 F
  • Bake for 25 or 30 minutes, until golden brown
  • Remove from oven; slide onto wire rack to cool
  • Brush with more olive oil while still hot

Notes

Let your imagination run wild with this dough:
Cut it into strips and twist for bread sticks
Stuff with filling to make a Calzone
Fill with stuffing and roll like cinnamon buns, slice and bake
Let me know what you make!