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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"!
Course Bread
Cuisine Canadian Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
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:

  1. Mix the bread flour and semolina together; rub in the yeast with fingers as if making the topping for a crumble
  2. Add the salt, olive oil, and water mixing well until all are combined in the bowl
  3. Transfer to the counter with the help of the rounded end of your scraper and work the dough as demonstrated in the video, below
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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)
  7. Using a lintfree cloth, cover the dough and rest in a draft free place for 45 minutes
  8. Dimple the dough again with your fingers; rest for 30 more minutes
  9. Preheat the oven to 475 F
  10. Pour the 4 ounces of olive oil into the dimples and over the surface of the flatbread; add more, if needed
  11. Sprinkle or press rosemary leaves onto the surface of the dough
  12. Sprinkle course salt over the surface of the dough and immediately place into the preheated red hot oven
  13. Turn down oven to 425 F
  14. Bake for 25 or 30 minutes, until golden brown
  15. Remove from oven; slide onto wire rack to cool
  16. Brush with more olive oil while still hot

Instructions with the Thermomix:

  1. Scale the bread flour, semolina and yeast into the TM bowl; combine for 15 seconds from speed - to 6 or 7
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. Lightly oil a bowl with EVOO or avocado oil
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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)
  8. Using a lintfree cloth, cover the dough and rest in a draft free place for 45 minutes
  9. Dimple the dough again with your fingers; rest for 30 more minutes
  10. Preheat the oven to 475 F
  11. Pour the 4 ounces of olive oil into the dimples and over the surface of the flatbread; add more, if needed
  12. Sprinkle or press rosemary leaves onto the surface of the dough
  13. Sprinkle course salt over the surface of the dough and immediately place into the preheated red hot oven
  14. Turn down oven to 425 F
  15. Bake for 25 or 30 minutes, until golden brown
  16. Remove from oven; slide onto wire rack to cool
  17. Brush with more olive oil while still hot

Recipe 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!