Focaccia
This focaccia is delicious as is, or can be topped with anything of your choosing, for example, 1 tbls. fresh or dried rosemary and/or 3 cloves minced garlic. It’s perfectly soft and fluffy and satisfyingly chewy. It’s sprinkled with lots of fresh rosemary and crunchy flaky sea salt, and drizzled with extra olive oil just before serving, which soaks perfectly into all of those little classic holes that you have poked in the bread. I know you’re going to love it.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. sugar
2 cups + 1tbls Sonora flour,
plus additional for kneading
1 1/2 tsp salt + extra coarse
sea salt for sprinkling
1/2 - 3/4 cup extra virgin
olive oil
METHOD
1. Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Put the bowl in a warm place until the yeast is bubbling and aromatic, at least 15 minutes.
2. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup olive oil and the yeast mixture on low speed. Once the dough has come together, continue to knead for 3 to 4 minutes on a medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft.
3. Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface, then knead it by hand 1 or 2 times. Give a sprinkle of flour if the dough is too sticky or tacky to handle.
4. Coat the inside of the mixing bowl lightly with olive oil and return the dough to the bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil on top of the dough so it doesn’t form a crust. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and put in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, 2-3 hours.
5. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. This may seem excessive, but focaccia is an oily crusty bread. This is why it is soooooooooo delicious!
6. Put the dough into the 9 x 13 pan and begin pressing it out to fit the size of the pan. Turn the dough over to coat the other side with the olive oil. Continue to stretch the dough to fit the pan. As you are doing so, spread your fingers out and make finger holes all the way through the dough. It seems like it might tear, but when the dough rises again it will create the characteristic craggy looking focaccia. If you don’t make the actual holes in the dough, the finished product will be very smooth.
7. Cover the pan with a dish towel and put in warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising a second time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
8. Liberally sprinkle the top of the focaccia with some coarse sea salt and drizzle a little oil on top. At this point you can add chopped fresh or dried rosemary, minced garlic, or any topping of your choice. Bake the dough until the top of the loaf is golden brown, about 20 to 22 minutes. Don’t over bake or it will be dry. Remove the focaccia from the pan and let it cool before cutting and serving.