I am passionate about cooking - I have always been pursuing happiness through good food, fine wine, my dogs, and of course, with my family and friends!
Being raised in a home where good home cooking was shared with friends and family almost every other day, it was not difficult at all to embrace the concept of “you live to eat”.
Cypriot Focaccia with Halloumi
Ingredients
For the Dough
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600g Village Flour
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7g Dry Yeast (1 sachet)
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100ml EVOO, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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450ml Water, lukewarm
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1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
For the Topping
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½ cup Cherry Tomatoes
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2 Sprigs Rosemary, picked
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225g Pissourkotiko Traditional Goat & Sheep Halloumi, Charalambides Christis, cut in small cubes
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½ cup Green Olives, pitted
Instructions
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Dissolve the yeast by mixing well in the lukewarm water. Place in a warm place for about 10’ to froth.
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Combine the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the middle and carefully pour the yeast mixture along with 40ml of the olive oil in the well. Using a wooden spoon, bring the flour in gradually from the sides and swirl it into the liquid. When mixed well, pour some oil around the bowl and allow to rest for 20’ in a warm place.
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After the 20’ pull the dough up from the bottom and fold to the centre 3 times, and this time allow to rest for 30’ in a warm place.
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After the 30’ have passed, once again pull the dough up from the bottom and fold to the centre 3 times and allow to rest for 30’ in a warm place.
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Remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly oiled baking tray (25cm x 35cm), and pull/stretch the dough towards the sides of the tray. Cover with the kitchen towel and allow to rest/rise for 1 hour in a warm place, aiming to double in size.
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After the 1 hour, uncover and press down the dough with your fingertips creating small holes. Then scatter all-over the cherry tomatoes and the rosemary. Drizzle on top about 30ml of the olive oil and add to a preheated oven at 200°C, air circulation, rack in the middle, baking for 20’.
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Then add on top the halloumi and olives and return to the oven baking for another 20’ and until nicely golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit, slice, serve and enjoy.
