Friday, September 21, 2007

Focaccia Bread

Ever since I made these wonderful bagels that seemed to lift my bread-making curse, I've been dying to try another bread product. So when I found a simple recipe for foccacia bread, I practically ran into the kitchen.

This recipe only has a handful of ingredients and is very easy to make. All the dough ingredients are kitchen staples, and you could easily adjust your toppings for whatever you have on hand.

The foccacia came out wonderfully and tasted delicious. I'll be making this again and again, I know it. Never again will I buy foccacia from the store, only homemade for me from now on.

I hope some of you out there will give this a try. You will be amazed at how easy and great it is!

rosemary garlic foccacia
altered very slightly from rebar modern food cookbook by audrey alsterberg and wanda urbanowicz.

1 3/4 cups warm water
1 tb traditional baking yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups unbleached flour

topping

6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tb olive oil
2 tsp coarse salt
1 tb chopped rosemary

Pour the warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast and sugar over top. Let stand 10 minutes until the yeast is foamy. Place the bowl on the mixer and attach the dough hook. Pour in the salt and olive oil and mix briefly. Set the mixer on "stir" or "low" and add one cup of flour. When the flour is mixed in, add the second cup, and continue until all the flour has been added. Knead in the mixer for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth.

Oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl, turning the dough to coat in the oil. Place a damp towel over the bowl and let sit on the counter for 1 hour. Press the dough down, turn, re-cover, and let stand another hour.

Preheat the oven to 350'. Lightly oil a 12x16 (or similar size) pan and gently press the dough out with your hands to fill the pan.

Pour the 2 tb of oil on the dough and rub over the surface. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the salt, garlic and rosemary. Dimple the dough with your fingers.


Cook for 30 minutes, rotate the pan, and cook another 20-30 minutes. Watch carefully so that the garlic doesn't burn.

9 comments:

foodiechickie said...

Mmmm Focaccia!

breadchick said...

Yea! I'm so proud of you for embracing yeast! I've got a few easy bread recipes coming your way!!! Before you know it you'll be making sourdough boules and bagettes!

Sara said...

Ani - it is quite nice.

Mary - I'm coming along, aren't I??? I am trying to find a recipe from one of my notebooks for baguette that I made years and years ago. I remember it was only OK, and I am wanting to try again. Can't wait to see what you are sending me!

Caty said...

Looks really good!

Anita said...

I love foccacia - and yours looks really yummy!

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

It is so incredible how exciting all fresh hot bread is coming out of an oven. You just never want to look back! Lovely bread. And it's fun to see how carried away you are once you discover it's so doable!

Deborah said...

I love focaccia, but have never tried to make it before. This looks wonderful!

test it comm said...

Focaccia bread is easy and tasty. There are so many things that you can bake in it or on top of it.

Shaun said...

Sara, darling - About 10 years ago I ate focaccia on a daily basis, and then the bakery I frequented closed. I haven't had it since. This recipe, however, convinces me that I don't have to wait for an Italian baker to move to Auckland and do a good job; I should just do it at home myself. Yours looks beautiful - I only hope mine comes off half as good!