Tuscan focaccia

Method

1. Stir or crumble the yeast into the water and milk in a mixing bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes to soften. Sift the flour into a wide bowl with 1 teaspoon of the salt and add the yeast and water mixture, 60 ml of the olive oil and the lard (or butter). Combine to create a dough. Knead on a lightly floured work surface for about 8–10 minutes until elastic and no longer sticky.
2. Place the ball of dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp dish towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place free from draughts, until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
4. Roll or gently stretch the dough out to a rough rectangle. My ideal thickness is 2–3 cm, but you can vary the thickness if you prefer a thicker or thinner bread. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the schiacciata on top. Dimple the top of the dough with your fingers. Drizzle and/or brush the top with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the rest of the salt flakes.
5. Bake in the oven on the bottom shelf for 20 minutes or until golden. If you like, drizzle with more olive oil before serving.