I baked a wholegrain version of Dan Lepard’s olive oil bread from The Handmade Loaf: Celia’s recent Weekend Sourdough post had reminded me about how good this flatbread can be for a quick lunch.
It’s an easy dough to mix, fold and stretch intermittently for a couple of hours while you get on and do other things. Dan Lepard describes the technique in The Handmade Loaf and I nearly always use this method for dealing with soft doughs like this. The Handmade Loaf is much more than a recipe book, it teaches you a whole way of thinking and dealing with doughs and bread. If I could only keep one bread book from the pile on the shelf that one would be it and the binding has lasted too!
I’ve always run into trouble with this bread sticking to the tin in the past and for the first time ever, I remembered this, and thought, ‘Line the pan, that’s what you said last time, Jo, do it for once! ‘ and it worked.
A sheet of baking parchment in the bottom of my brownie tin, I patted the dough out on top of a layer of olive oil and then flipped it over, it tore a little but I just worked it a bit more, paddling away like an old cat kneading someone’s tummy and it all fell into place.
The cupboard yielded up some dried onion flakes, I braved the garden to grab some rosemary needles from the bush, and I had some fine Cornish sea salt to sprinkle over the top. I dimpled away some more, put the tray in the boiler cupboard for a while. The oven had been on already with the stone in for some wholewheat breads so it was too good an opportunity to miss. It was lovely and golden in 20 minutes at 220 C. I took it out, and cut two squares for lunch, topped those with the remains of a ball of mozarella and some cherry tomatoes, and returned them to the oven – this time with the grill switched on. I think I had it a bit hot, as the corners started to catch as you can see. Still….
…sizzle sizzle, and out again. Salad leaves, sloosh olive oil, scrunch black pepper, dribble of white balsamic. A soft and fragrant bread, hot from the oven, cheered us up no end!
Zeb Bakes 
This really is the best recipe, isn’t it? (Thanks for the mention too! :)). My youngest son would happily eat this all day long, cut into slabs and unadorned. I love how you’ve used up all your odds and ends of different flours – I’ve never made this with anything other than white bakers, but will give it a go next time. Thanks! :)
How delicious! I could try this in Italy – it looks Italian.
This looks delicious, even before you put the toppings on!
Jo I’m feeling rather peckish and your lunch looks like it should be my lunch :-)
That looks so delicious, Joanna – I love sloosh, scrunch, drizzle-type food.
Yum! That looks just amazing, Joanna! Love the idea of cleaning up all the flours…..
Mmm I love your breads and salads! I am a luncheon sort of person- only I add soup to my menu.
Tasty!
Did you make the flatbread at Dan & David’s workshop too Joanna.
My London hotel room smelled lovely whenever we walked in.
Looks delicious Joanna, although more like a foccacia than a flat bread. Liked your use of various flours.
good looking bread Joanna and I like the idea of adding the moz. at the end. I have a recipe in my “must do pile” for potato focaccia but not Dan’s.
looks great, I might pop round for lunch one day too! Hope you are not too grey and Febby down there?
Yikes, I am sorry, I haven’t replied (blushes).
Celia thanks back ! Great prompt from you there! :)
Hi Debra – of course you could! I think it’s foccaccio – I don’t know why Dan doesn’t call it that but he doesn’t.
Thanks Suelle, I was so pleased that I didn’t over cook it for once :)
Brydie, I bet you have made this many times – I wonder how many of us unknowingly eat the same food each day…. :)
@ Jan – that’s the best bit about blogging, you get to use all those words and pretend you’re J Oliver or someone… ;)
Heidi I would add one of your fabulous soups every day but I often leave it a bit late to put one together. I try always to make double and freeze one lot and still there is no soup when I go to the freezer…
Gill, No I didn’t…. at least I don’t think I did… maybe I did? Memory full of small bubbles… maybe we did and Dan turned mine into a loaf of bread by sleight of hand…. ;D
Needs must Choclette, I am not sure why it’ s not called foccaicio in the book either. :)
Never made a potato focaacia Azelia, look forward to seeing how it comes out ;)
Any time Chocveg! Would be lovely to meet up. Today definitely felt a bit more like Spring is a possibiity. The frogs were croaking in next door’s garden last night…:)