There’s something incredibly satisfying about tearing into a warm focaccia fresh from the oven, especially when it’s topped with mushrooms you’ve gathered yourself. This light, airy bread celebrates the rich, earthy flavours of wild porcini and bay boletes, finished simply with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of wild garlic salt.

The slow rise and gentle stretch-and-fold method creates a beautifully open crumb with a crisp, golden crust, while the mushrooms become wonderfully savoury as they roast. Serve warm alongside soups, stews or salads, enjoy as part of a woodland picnic, or simply tear and share straight from the baking tray.

Makes: 1 large focaccia

A note of caution: Only forage wild mushrooms if you are completely confident in their identification. Many edible species have poisonous lookalikes, and mistakes can be serious. If you’re new to mushroom foraging, always learn alongside an experienced forager before consuming any wild fungi.

If you would like to learn how to become a safe and confident forager, join us on a walk.

Ingredients

Dough

• 650g strong bread flour
• 550ml warm water
• 7g dried yeast
• 70ml olive oil

Topping

• Wild mushrooms (I used porcini and bay boletes)
• Wild garlic salt
• Extra olive oil for drizzling

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, warm water and olive oil until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Perform a set of stretch and folds around the bowl.
4. Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
5. Repeat the stretch and fold process two more times, leaving 30 minutes between each set.
6. Turn the dough out into a lightly oiled baking dish.
7. Fold one side into the centre, then the opposite side into the centre. Flip the dough over and gently stretch it towards the corners of the dish.
8. Cover and leave to rise for approximately 1 hour, or until noticeably puffy and well risen.
9. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
10. Scatter the chopped wild mushrooms over the surface of the dough.
11. Drizzle generously with olive oil and dimple the dough all over with your fingertips.
12. Sprinkle with wild garlic salt.
13. Bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
14. Allow to cool slightly before serving.