Focaccia

Author: Sarah Recker

Materials

  • 1 1/3 cup warm water (about 110°F)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar or honey
  • 1 package (0.25 ounce) active-dry yeast
  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1
  • 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary 2

Procedure

  1. In a large bowl (or stand mixer if you want to use the dough attachment), mix honey/sugar with the warm water until it dissolves. Sprinkle the yeast, give it a quick mix until all the particles are wet. Let it get foamy, about 5-10 min.

  2. Gradually mix in the flour, olive oil and salt. I mix with a metal spoon until it gets thick, then switch to my hands. Knead until thoroughly mixed and smooth. (If the dough is too sticky and isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl, add in an extra 1/4 cup flour)

  3. Remove dough from the mixing bowl, and use your hands to shape it into a ball. Grease the bowl with a drizzle of olive oil or cooking spray (so it doesn’t stick), then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel. Place in a warm location (like to set in a warm oven or in a sunny spot) and let the dough rise for 45-60 minutes, or until it has nearly doubled in size.

  4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and roll/stretch it out into a large circle or rectangle until the dough is about 1/2-inch thick, or however thick you want it. Cover the dough again with the damp towel, and let the dough continue to rise for another 20 minutes.

  5. Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer the dough to a large parchment-covered baking sheet (or press it into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish). Use your fingers to poke deep dents (seriously, poke all the way down to the baking sheet) all over the surface of the dough. Drizzle at least 2 tablespoons (preferably more) evenly all over the top of the dough. Don’t be stingy, this is where the flavor is!

  6. Sprinkle evenly with fresh rosemary needles and sea salt, or ANY toppings you like. You can press halved cherry tomatoes in, or I like to top with thinly sliced red onions or shallots, parmesan, and lots of other dried herbs. Pretty much anything you want.

  7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dough is slightly golden and cooked through. You can even lift up the bread to check how brown the bottom is getting. Serve!

References

  1. plus more for drizzling (helps if you have one of those drizzler bottles) I love Trader Joe’s Spanish olive oil! ↩

  2. or any desired herbs, fresh or dried / other toppings ↩