Focaccia Bread Recipe
User Reviews
4.8
Focaccia Bread Recipe
Description
The recipe begins by activating yeast in warm water with cane sugar, creating a foam to ensure yeast viability. Mixing in flour and salt forms a shaggy dough, which is kneaded with a stand mixer to develop elasticity. The dough is transferred to a well-oiled bowl and coated with oil to prevent drying, covered, and left to double in size over one to one and a half hours.
After rising, the dough is transferred to a baking dish that is coated with olive oil to prevent sticking and promote a crisp crust during baking. The dough's sticky texture requires transferring with a spatula. The dough is then spread or pressed out to fill the pan, optionally topped with sea salt and rosemary for flavor and texture.
Focaccia bread is served as a side or snack and pairs well with dips or sandwiches. For best results, use a nonstick pan or grease the pan thoroughly with butter and olive oil to prevent sticking and promote an even crust.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups water 105° to 115°F, warm
- 2 teaspoons cane sugar
- 1 (¼-ounce) package active dry yeast 2¼ teaspoons
- 500 grams all-purpose flour 4 cups
- 2 teaspoons salt sea salt
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for your hands
- sea salt optional, for sprinkling, flaky
- rosemary optional, for sprinkling, chopped, fresh
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together the water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir again. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy. If the yeast doesn’t foam, discard the mixture and start again with new yeast.
- Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes. A very elastic, sticky dough should form and begin grabbing the sides of the bowl.
- Brush a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, using a spatula to scrape it out of the bowl of the stand mixer. It will be too sticky to transfer by hand. Use your fingers to lightly brush any oil that’s pooling at the edges of the dough over its surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside until the dough has doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
- Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish* with another 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Uncover the dough and rub your hands with olive oil. As best you can, slide your hand under one edge of the dough and fold it into itself. Continue working your way around the edge of the bowl, folding the dough into itself, until you have a rough ball that you can lift from the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and turn to coat in the oil. Press the dough to the pan’s edges. Let it relax and pull away from the edges, then press it to the edges again. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. 30 minutes into this rise, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Remove the plastic wrap and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the dough. Rub your hands with olive oil, then use your fingers to make indentations across the surface of the dough, pressing through the dough to the pan. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and rosemary, if desired. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes
- If your baking pan is not nonstick, grease it well with butter before adding olive oil to prevent the bread from sticking.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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