Focaccia!

This is an Italian bread typically made with lots of olive oil in it.  Don't worry if this recipe gives you a stickier and wetter dough than you're used to, it's supposed to be like that!  The way I made this requires a bread maker, if you don't have one then I've posted a link to the original recipe where you can see how it's made by hand.

Focaccia

(original recipe can be found here)

Ingredients

300ml tepid water

1 1/2 tsp dried yeast (although I cheated and used one of the sachets of fast acting yeast)

500g strong white bread flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling over the bread before it's baked)

Herbs and salt

Method

1. I cheated and didn't make the dough by hand.  Instead I used my trusty bread maker and just put all the ingredients in there.  Making sure than the yeast was kept separate from the salt.  Then I just put my machine on to the dough setting and let it work its magic!

2. Once it's worked its magic with the dough take it out of the machine and place it on to a shallow baking tray.  I had to dust my dough with a little more flour as it was just too sticky to handle.  After placing it on the tray I roughly shaped it and then left it to rise again for another 30mins.  Whilst it is rising preheat the oven to 200C or 180C if you have a fan oven.

3. Then create a dimpled effect in the dough by poking your fingers into it gently.  Drizzle some olive oil over it and sprinkle with your herbs and salt.  I used dried herbs for this but fresh would be best.

4. Bake for around 25-35 minutes or until the top is crusty and it gives a hollow sound if you tap on the bottom of the loaf.

I would recommend anyone to get a bread maker.  They're so good and you can make so many different kinds of bread with them!  I've always been a bit rubbish at making bread by hand but this makes it so much easier and it's better (and cheaper) than buying supermarket bread all the time.  I just bought my bread machine from Argos so it doesn't have to be anything fancy, in fact mine only costs £40 which you could easily persuade someone to buy you as a present.  This is the one I have.

I'm free!!

I'm finally free and finished with all shows until September!!! Yay!!!!

I wouldn't normally be this happy but I've not even had a proper weekend since April.  So it's nice to know I have a bit of free time now where I can do all the important things.  Which obviously includes playing the Sims and watching TV!

I'm also hoping to get back into my cooking this summer.  Tonight I'm making enchiladas for tea and I'm also making a focaccia loaf that we can eat with soup tomorrow.  I have to admit I'm cheating a little with the bread though.  My bread machine is doing all the hard kneading work so all I need to do once it's finished is plonk it on a tray and whack it into the oven.  I'll be making it completely by hand soon, I'm just still recovering from a cold/stress related illness that I've had for a while.  Don't really want to be sneezing and coughing all over the dough for ages while I knead it.

I'll post pictures once it's all finished and I'll give you the recipe so you can try it too!

My life is...

Kinda weird at the moment!  I've been making a box/basket all week for this show.  Stupid thing kept falling a part, clearly it hates me.  Thankfully it's all in one piece now.  I've also made some antlers for the show.

You can make anything out of wire and paper mache!  These antlers are now painted and attached to a headband.  Got some funny looks carrying them on the bus on the way home!  Hehe.

Had some pretty freaky dreams last night too.  I was in NYC for some reason, even though I've never actually been there, and then I was watching season 3 of Glee but they'd killed off Blaine.  Next thing I know there's an escaped giant racoon running loose and trying to attack people!  Then it turned into a giant red panda, which looked more like a Sylvanian Families toy than a real animal.  Then I woke up!

On a completely different, yet pretty awesome, note I was awarded the Butterfly Award by Rachael at Island Girl Insights!

Rules Of Award

1. Write a random fact about yourself

2. Pass The Award On

3. Notify The Bloggers Who Got It

Ok so a random fact about me... I love video games!!!  Especially old ones.  Or Nintendo ones.  Or Lego ones.  Or The Sims.

Er unfortunately I don't really know that many bloggers and the 2 people I want to give this award to have already received it but hey ho, they can have it twice! :)  I give this award to Rachael at Island Girl Insights and Amy at Caterpillar is Very Hungry.

Note to self.

Always always ALWAYS look where you're going.  No matter what you're trying to do.  Even if you are taking a picture, however pretty the picture, nothing is worth injuring yourself.

However saying this I will continue to be an incredibly clumsy person.

I am currently working on a production of The Merry Wives of Windsor which is taking place next week so that's why I've not updated this blog as much.  It's being performed at Lanercost Priory which is a beautiful ruined abbey about 20 mins away from Carlisle.  Now I shall explain my minor rant at the beginning.  I was taking some pictures of the stage area as it's going to be performed outside.  As I was taking one of these pictures I managed to forget there were some steps next to me and went flying down them sideways.  I think I've sprained my wrist from the fall but I did get a pretty picture in the end!