focaccia with mortadella & mozzarella
Don’t get me wrong, eating an entire loaf of bread yourself can be a transcendent experience, but large loaves don’t always suit the solo diner. With bread being one of the most frequently wasted food items, sometimes a single serving is just what you need and that’s exactly what we’ve got here. I’ve filled this freshly baked focaccia with mozzarella and mortadella for an Italian-inspired feast, but the possibilities for this miniature loaf are endless; top or fill with anything your heart desires.
Ingredients
For the focaccia
- 150g strong white bread flour
- ½ tsp fast-action dried yeast
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
- 150ml warm water
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- handful of pitted olives
For the sandwich
- 1 tbsp fresh pesto
- 3–4 slices of mortadella
- 70g fresh mozzarella, drained and sliced
- handful of rocket leaves
- drizzle of balsamic vinegar
- Add the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt to a bowl and mix together.
- Add the water and oil and mix until combined, creating a mostly smooth but wet dough (don’t be alarmed by the wet texture; this helps create a lovely texture and bigger air bubbles).
- Tip: You can oil your hands to make mixing easier or use a rubber spatula.
- Take a small pie dish or ovenproof frying pan and line it with baking paper.
- Drizzle olive oil into the dish/pan, then place the dough in it.
- Drizzle a little more oil over the top, then smooth down and press the dough out with your fingers, making little dimples as you go.
- Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 60 minutes.
- After 60 minutes, press into the dough again with your fingers to create little dimples, and push the olives into the dough.
- Leave to rise for a final 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
- Once risen, sprinkle with a little extra flaky salt and bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Leave the focaccia to cool before cutting it in half horizontally.
- Once cooled, assemble the sandwich:
- Spread the pesto over the bottom half of the focaccia.
- Lay the mortadella and mozzarella slices over the pesto.
- Season with a little salt, then top with the rocket.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, then top with the other half of the focaccia.
How it should look!
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I buy a lot of cook books and this is genuinely one of the best l've ever bought. I've tried 6 or 7 recipes so far and they're all winners. I'm well used to scaling recipes down to one portion, but not having to calculate measurements as l go along feels like a little luxury. One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up! Highly recommended.
I have been following Eleanor on IG for a while and have made several of her dishes before the cookbook came out. I was thrilled to see so many new things to try and have already made about 6 of them. Her recipes are approachable, the dishes are delicious, and they make me feel like I can cook! Highly recommend.
If you love eating good home cooked food but can't be bothered to cook just for yourself, then this is the book for you. Using ingredients that are easy to find, then mixing, cooking and eating from the same pan or dish means a minimum of washing up. Every recipe I have tried so far has been delicious and have all turned out well which isn't always the case with many cookery books. Definitely recommend!
Following Eleanor on Instagram and seeing her recipes come to life is one thing but then having them in my own kitchen is quite another. Not only are the recipes easy to follow and delicious she also help you not to waste food. This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?
Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This is perfect, as far as influencer chefs go, I find this book refreshing in what has become a cohort of lauded influencers who really aren't doing much more than the bog standard meals most people make anyway, or making googled recipes and adding their own "flair". This book is different as it's your normal fare you'd likely make yourself, given a little bit of a twist to speed up the process / use less utensils / ingredients / food waste, in really creative and tasty ways, all perfectly portioned for one.
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This recipe book is stunning and fulfils its role brilliantly in catering for individuals who want to eat delicious meals, but don't want to prepare family sized portions or devote their entire evening to cooking. Who'd believe you could make an entire roast for one person and only use one pan in the process! She is a genius and I couldn't recommend this book any more highly.
One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up!
This is the book I've been waiting for! I (very happily!) live alone, love to cook and read cookery books, but every recipe is for two people or more. This gorgeous book contains recipes perfectly proportioned for one person (and I'm always a very hungry one person!) which ensures more variety, less food waste, and pure, gluttonous joy.
It's so nice to finally have a recipe book that I can go to if I want a quick easy meal with minimal cleaning up required! Everything l've tried so far is delicious. And I salivate at the thought of everything in there!
Totally reignited my cooking mojo which had been MIA for a while. I'm going to buy my daughter a copy to take back to Uni too as everything is simple and delicious - perfect for a student!
Best cookbook for somebody single!
The fact I know I won't have loads to wash up really feels motivating and l've earmarked so many of the recipes already.
This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?