Focaccia Bread
You only need a few simple ingredients to make Focaccia but it comes together into the
most beautiful soft and flavourful bread.
Perfect to a side of soup, to have with a cheese platter or just to simply enjoy on
its own.
Welcome to recipes by Carina where I share with you how to make classic and simply delicious
recipes, make sure to subscribe or follow my page for a new recipe each week.
Today I’m makeing olive oil and rosemary focaccia which is pretty traditional but if
you do follow me on Instagram you’ll remember I shared a sweet chilli version I had made.
Focaccia is so versatile so you can use anything you have in your cupboard to flavour it, balsamic
and caramelised inions, cherry tomatoes and olives, sweet chilli sauce or just simply
olive oil, all so delicious in their own way.
To start we need to make the dough.
You don’t need a mixer or anything for this, a bowl is it.
If you do have a mixer you an of course use that if you would prefer.
Mix two teaspoon of yeast with 1 cup of warm water, mix and set to the side to activate.
If you would like the full recipe for this focaccia it will be on my website as well
as the full measurements listed in the description box below.
In a large bowl measure out your flour, you’ll need 3 and half cups or 375g.
You’ll notice I give the recipe amount in metric and imperial - cups and grams so no
matter where you live in the world you should find this recipe easy enough to follow.
I’m using high grade or bread flour here, these are the same thing just different names,
it basically means it has a high protein content to develop more gluten.
This is the ideal flour you should be using when you make any type of bread but if you
don’t have any you can substitute with all purpose or standard flour your bread just
might not be as chewy and stretchy as if you had used high grade.
To the flour we want to add 3 teaspoons of salt, yes this is a lot but this is a lot
of dough and we want to flavour it well.
And of course the star ingredient of focaccia olive oil.
You’ll just need a couple tablespoons in the dough at this point but make sure to have
more on hand for adding later.
Your yeast should only take 5-10 minutes to activate, you’ll notice all the little granules
have risen to the top and it’s starting to get foamy.
If this hasn’t happened and you’ve used warm water make sure to check the expiry date
on your yeast, it usually lasts 6 months or so so it may be out of date.
Pour you foamy yeast mixture into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients and using
a wooden spoon or if you’re using stand mixer use the dough attachment and mix your
dough until it starts to come together.
It’ll be really thick and clumpy so when the wooden spoon is no longer really working
turn it out onto a floured work surface and begin to knead.
There’s no wrong or right way to knead, some ways just may be more efficient but the
more you do it the more you’ll get the hang of it and it’ll start to become natural.
You basically want to fold the dough over itself and push it out, fold it over itself
and push it out.
As you continue to do this the dough will become softer and more elastic.
This develops the gluten which is what makes the texture of cake completely different than
the texture of bread.
It’s pretty hard to get the hydration amount perfect as all flours are different so if
you feel like it may need more water or a little more flour if it continues to stick
to the work surface after you’ve kneaded it will you can add a small amount of either.
I though mine was looking too dry but as I kneaded it it came together really well and
ended up being just about perfect.
You’ll need to do this for about 10 minutes or so or until your dough is soft, smooth
and elastic.
Take your bowl and pour in about a teaspoon of oil, shape your dough into a ball and place
it into the bowl, coating it well in the oil.
Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise somewhere warm until it’s doubled in size.
This should take around an hour but could take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours depending
on the temperature.
Just keep an eye on it.
When your dough has doubled in size take a baking sheet, the one I’m using is 35cm
or 14 inches long by 25cm or 10 inch wide.
One around this size works well or if it’s a little smaller it’s not an issue your’s
will just be a little thicker.
Alternatively you can break the dough in two and bake it in two smaller trays or pie dishes
or a cast iron pan works really really well for this.
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the base of your pan and top with your risen
dough.
Coat your fingers in the olive oil from the bowl and start to press the dough down, spreading
it the edges.
It’s not essential you get it right into the corners now, it may start to shrink back
but thats fine we’ll fix it up later.
When you have it in some what of an even flat layer cover it with a damp tea towel or plastic
wrap and either leave in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour to rise for the second
time or do what I’m doing and place it into the fridge overnight to bake up the next day.
I enjoy slow rising in the fridge when I make dough as it gives it so much more flavour
plus it’s easier you don’t need to keep checking on it.
When you’re ready to bake your dough preheat your oven to 200 C or 400 F. Using your finger
tips press over the entire dough making indentations right to the bottom of the tray, make as many
or as little as you like, as you can see I like it dimpled all over but you may just
want to make a handful of even marks.
Nows not the time to skimp on the olive oil, we want about 3 to 4 tablespoons drizzled
over the bread, you can measure but I usually just eyeball it.
Now is also the time you can use any other toppings you would like.
I suggested some earlier like olives and cherry tomatoes or sweet chilli sauce.
The olive oil will fall into all the little indentations of the bread.
Follow with some fresh romsemary, pulling it off and scattering over the bread.
As this baked it will leave your kitchen with the most beautiful aroma.
Finally follow with some flaky salt, a good few pinches sprinkled over the entire dough.
Place your focaccia into the oven for about 20 minutes or until it’s risen up and starting
to get golden brown on top.
It should remove easily from the tray from the olive oil and leave it on a wire rack
to cool.
This focaccia is so versatile.
Eat it as is or cut a few pieces to make the most amazing italian style sandwich or even
use it as a kind of focaccia pizza hybrid.
So many options and so easy to make.
I hope you try out this recipe, send me a photo on Instagram or facebook and I’ll
add it to my recipe recreations album.
Thank you for watching and I will see you in my next video.