Roosterkoek

Serves 6

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cooking time:
20 minutes

Ingredients
500g plain flour
5g instant yeast *
½ tbsp sugar
½ tbsp salt
250ml lukewarm water
2 tbsps olive oil

* if you buy sachets then you will have 7g, just use the full 7g

Method
Put the flour into a large bowl and add the yeast and sugar to the flour and mix thoroughly.  Add the salt and mix again.  Pour in around 450ml of the lukewarm water and start to knead the dough. I like to use my stand mixer with the dough hook but the same result can also be achieved kneading by hand.  What you are aiming for is all of the flour to be incorporated without adding too much water otherwise it will be too wet and won't rise enough.  So if the dough is still a little dry add more water a tbsp at a time until the bowl has had all flour and bits of dough picked up so it looks clean.

Add the olive oil and knead until totally smooth.  This will take around 5 minutes if you are using a machine or 10 minutes by hand.  When the dough is ready it will no longer be sticky and it will be smooth.

Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to rise somewhere warm area for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes kneed for a min by hand.  Put the tea towel back and leave to rise for a further 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into 6 equal portions and with your hands, roll into a ball and then flatten the dough.  Leave to rise for another 15 minutes.

Bake over very gentle coals for about 15-20 minutes, turning often. A roosterkoek is ready when it sounds hollow when you tap on it.