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CACAO PESTO & CHERRY TOMATO MINI FOCACCIA
Prep Time: 0H30M and 2-3H rising time Cooking Time: 0H15M Serves: 18-20 mini focacciasThese have been one of my staple party foods for years. The cacao adds subtle depth both to the bread and to the pesto.
Ingredients
For the bread
500g strong white bread flour
250 ml water
100 ml milk
2 tablespoons of sea salt
9g dried yeast
20ml olive oil
25g 100% cacao. Try Peruvian Black, Chulucanas 100% cacao
For the topping
200g cherry tomatoes cut into halves
A few fresh basil leaves as garnish
150g cacao pesto
75g fresh basil leaves
30g parmesan cheese
30g pine nuts
12g 100% cacao. Try Venezuelan, Carenero 100% cacao
40ml olive oil
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Equipment
Bowl
Saucespan
Sieve
Electric beater
Baking Dish
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Method
To make the cacao pesto, melt the cacao in the olive oil then put this with the rest of the ingredients in a blender and mix to a rough paste. Check the seasoning.
Heat the cacao in the milk and half the water until the cacao is melted
Warm the rest of the water to hand temperature and put in the yeast for about 10 minutes until it starts frothing
Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl, add the olive oil, salt and yeast and cacao mixtures
Mix using the dough hook of an electric beater until smooth and elastic. Add more water or flour if necessary to achieve the right consistency.
Tip the dough into a large bowl that you have greased with olive oil. Pour a little olive oil all around the edge of the dough where it meets the bowl to help it rise. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours until it has doubled in size
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, knock it back to its original size and roll the dough into a rectangle about 7mm deep.
Cover with the pesto and roll it up along its long side.
Cut the sausage of dough into 15mm high rounds
Turn the rounds on their side and push 3 cherry tomato halves into the cracks. Don’t worry when the dough rises it will fill in the cracks.
Leave in a warm place for 1 hour for the dough to rise. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C.
When risen, lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt if wanted
Place the breads in the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
