Beetroot, potato and pecorino foccacia

Step by step

1. Put the flour and instant yeast in the bowl of the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on speed 1 for 20 seconds until all dry ingredients are well combined.

2. Add the water, olive oil and salt. Knead on speed 2 for 4 minutes. Knead the dough by hand for another minute. Form into a ball, brush the dough with olive oil and cover with a damp towel. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

3. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until just tender. Drain the potatoes and let them dry. While the potatoes are cooking, cut each beetroot into 6-8 wedges, discarding the juice. Once cool, cut the new potatoes into similar sized wedges.

4. Put the beetroot and potatoes in separate bowls. Add half of the thyme, salt and pepper and a splash of oil to each bowl and gently mix.

5. Roll out the dough until it’s 1 cm thick. Transfer it to a baking tray brushed with olive oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise for 30 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 220°C.

7. Arrange the potatoes and beetroot over the top of the dough, pushing them in slightly. Crumble the Pecorino cheese over the top and add the remaining thyme leaves, then press everything further into the dough. Cover the tray and leave to prove for 30 minutes.

8. Drizzle with oil, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes until cooked and golden. Remove from the oven, trickle with a little more oil, then sprinkle with sea salt. Serve warm.