Filled Focaccia With Ham and Melted Fontina

Ingredients

DOUGH

• 250 g bread flour
• 1 teaspoon easy-blend dry yeast
• 150 ml water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

FILLING

• 175 g parma ham
• 350 g Fontina cheese or gruyere cheese
• 3 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped
• fresh ground black pepper

THE TOP

• 15 small sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. 1

   Pop the ingredients for the dough into a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set to dough and start.

2. 2

   Towards the end of the time, prepare the filling by slicing the cheese thinly and separating the slices of ham.

3. 3

   When the dough is ready, remove from the machine, turn it out onto a lightly foured surface, divide it into two and then roll out one half to form a rough rounded rectangle approx 28 x 20cm.

4. 4

   Place the rolled out dough onto a baking tray or pizza stone and arrange the slices of ham on top, making sure that they go right up the edges. Follow this with the cheese, then scatter the sage and season well with the pepper. Roll out the remaining dough, lay it on the top of the other half and pinch the edges together to completely enclose the filling. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to puff up for about 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to Gas 6/400/200 degrees. When the dough is ready, make about 15 little dimples in it with your finger and press in the sprigs of rosemary. Finally drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

6. 6

   Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the dough is crisp and golden.

7. 7

   Serve straight from the oven, cut into wedges or squares.