Pumpkin, rosemary and pumpkin seed focaccia

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170°c. Cut the pumpkin into even-sized slices, approximately 1 cm thick. Place into a bowl with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and half the chopped rosemary and jumble together until well coated. Lay the pieces on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15–20 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown at the edg- es. Cool, then cut the pumpkin into thumbnail-size dice and retain a few good-looking pieces for the topping of the focaccia.

Step 2

To make the dough: if using fresh yeast, whisk into the water and olive oil and leave in a warm place until it starts to froth a little. If using dry yeast or easy- blend yeast, simply whisk the water and oil together.

Step 3

Mix the flour (and the dry or easy-blend yeast if using) together with the salt and remaining chopped rosemary and, either by hand or with the dough hook attachment of a machine, mix in the liquids un- til well amalgamated. Continue to knead until a smooth elastic dough is formed. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and leave in a warm place until the dough has almost doubled in size.

Step 4

Knead the diced pumpkin and pumpkin seeds into the dough briefly, using a dusting of flour, and then shape into a flat disc approximately 1.5 cm thick.

Step 5

Well oil a baking sheet and place the focaccia on top, drizzle with olive oil and cover with clingwrap and leave to prove again in a warm place until it has almost doubled its size (approximately 30–40 minutes).

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 210°c. Remove the clingwrap, gently press the reserved pumpkin pieces and rosemary sprigs into the surface, and using your fingertips, make a few dimple marks over the surface. Sprinkle with a little salt and bake for 12–15 minutes or until risen and golden.

Step 7

Remove from the oven, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve. Recipe image credit: Tessa Traeger