Italian Focaccia Bread Recipes

FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix the yeast into one side of the flour, and the fine salt into the other side. Then mix everything together, this initial seperation prevents the salt from killing the yeast.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil and 350-400ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a slightly sticky dough (you may not need all the water). Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until your dough is soft and less sticky. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Oil a rectangle, shallow tin (25 x 35cm). Tip the dough onto the work surface, then stretch it to fill the tin. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 35-45 mins.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples. Mix together 1½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp water and the flaky salt and drizzle over the bread. Push sprigs of rosemary into the dimples in the dough.
• Bake for 20 mins until golden. Whilst the bread is still hot, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold with extra olive oil, if you like.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FOCACCIA BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Add salt and water to the bread pan. Spoon flour on top of liquid. Add yeast.
• Select the Dough cycle and press Start.
• When the cycle is finished, transfer dough to the prepared pan. Using your hands, spread dough to fit the pan. Press the surface of the dough with your fingertip or knuckle to make random dimples. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
• In a small bowl, combine water, oil and salt. Brush this mixture over the dough. Sprinkle with the rosemary. Let rise while the oven is preheating.
• Bake the focaccia bread for 27 to 30 minutes or until the top of the dough is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf registers 190°F (90°C).
• Let the bread cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 to 20 minutes, then cut into 8 pieces and serve.

HOMEMADE FOCACCIA BREAD

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix well. Heat water and vegetable oil until warm, and add to yeast mixture along with the egg. Blend with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened. Beat for 2 additional minutes. Stir in 1 3/4 cup flour while beating, until dough pulls away from side of bowl.
• Knead in 3/4 cup flour on floured surface. Cover dough with a bowl, and let sit for 5 minutes. Place dough on a greased baking sheet. Roll out to 12 inch circle. Cover with greased plastic wrap and a cloth towel. Place in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• Uncover dough, and poke holes in it with a spoon handle at 1 inch intervals. Drizzle olive oil on dough, and sprinkle with crushed rosemary.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 17 to 27 minutes, until just golden. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on rack.

ITALIAN FOCACCIA BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Place about 1 cup of flour in the bowl of your stand mixer, equipped with the dough hook. Add the yeast and water. Mix with the dough hook for 30 seconds, or until yeast is dissolved and the ingredients begin to combine.
• 2. Add the rest of the 3 cups of flour, sugar, salt, dough conditioner, and 2 tablespoons olive oil and continue mixing at medium speed for at least 4 minutes (to develop the gluten). The dough should clear the sides of the the bowl but stick to the bottom. Dough for ciabatta and focaccia should be slightly wetter than most breads. If you feel the dough is too moist, add 1-2 tablespoons additional flour. Once the dough is mixed, move the dough to a large greased bowl, turn once to coat both sides, and cover with plastic wrap.
• 3. Refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. On the day that you are going to bake your bread, measure 1/3 cup olive oil and stir in the basil, oregano and garlic powder. Set aside to steep.
• 4. Remove the dough from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about 3 hours. The dough should rise to nearly double in this time. Once it has risen, coat your hands with flour and lightly dust a work area on the countertop. Holding the dough in your hands, allow the weight of the dough to stretch out the dough until it is about 1 inch thick.
• 5. Lay it on the the dusted countertop and fold the ends over itself like you would a letter. Lightly dust the top with flour and cover with plastic wrap. Let double again in size, about 1 hour.
• 6. Prepare a 15 inch pizza pan or baking sheet by greasing the surface and dusting with cornmeal. Once the dough has doubled, move it to the prepared pan. Using your fingertips, dimple and spread the dough, then spoon the oil and herb mixture over the dough. Then sprinkl with kosher salt, cover again loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• 7. Preheat oven to 435-degrees. Place a large, flat metal pan on the bottom rack of the oven to be used to hold water and with which to create steam and condition the crust. Do not use a glass or ceramic pan.
• 8. immediately before placing the bread in the oven, mist the sides of the oven using a spray mister and then pour 2 cups of very hot water into the steam pan.
• 9. Place bread in the oven and quickly close the door to retain steam, at the end of 15 minutes lover oven to 350-degrees and bake for another 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and the bread tests done. Bread will test done when the interior temperature reach 210-degrees.
• 10. Immediately remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese while the bread is still hot. Unused focaccia should be stored in a paper bag at room temperature.
• 11. *Available online at www.preparedpantry.com

ITALIAN FOCACCIA BREAD {LIGURUIAN FOCACCIA}

Steps:

• In a mixer bowl add lukewarm water and yeast.Let sit for a few minutes until yeast is completely dissolved.
• If you're using a stand mixer use dough hook attachment.Combine in a mixer bowl malt (or honey), flour, olive oil and salt. Give a quick stir with a spatula or a fork.
• Start kneading on low speed. Once flour has been completely incorporated increase the speed and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough comes together around the kneading hook, becomes elastic and smooth.Add a bit more flour if needed.
• Place the dough in a large bowl greased with extra virgin olive oil.Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and kitchen towel.Let rise for 1.5 - 2 hours in a warm place (75-80F).Past that time the dough should double or even triple in size.
• Pour extra virgin olive oil on a quarter-sheet (9x13 inch) baking pan.Let the dough come out from the bowl onto the pan. Turn it over to coat another side of the dough with olive oil.
• Using your hands pat the dough down to fit the pan. Try to maintain the same thickness all over the pan.Cover with a lid if you have a lid that fits the pan or with linen towel and let rise for another 30-60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.In the meantime, prepare salamoia: beat quickly lukewarm water with extra virgin olive oil.Beat quickly lukewarm water with extra virgin olive oil for salamoia. Once your focaccia has doubled in size pour salamoia all over it.
• Lightly oil your hands and using your fingers press down the dough to imprint typical dimples all over focaccia.Sprinkle with coarse sea salt or sea salt flakes.
• Bake in a preheated to 450F oven for 15-20 minutes (preferably in the lower part of the oven).Once out of the oven brush your focaccia with extra virgin olive to taste.

FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Put the bowl in a warm, not hot or cool, place until the yeast is bubbling and aromatic, at least 15 minutes.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1/2 cup olive oil and the yeast mixture on low speed. Once the dough has come together, continue to knead for 5 to 6 minutes on a medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft. Give it a sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.
• Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface, then knead it by hand 1 or 2 times. Again, give it another sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.
• Coat the inside of the mixer bowl lightly with olive oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
• Coat a jelly roll pan with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. (Chef's Note: This may seem excessive, but focaccia is an oily crusted bread. This is why it is soooooooooo delicious!).
• Put the dough onto the jelly roll 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. (Chef's Note: Yes, this is strange. But when the dough rises again it will create the characteristic craggy looking focaccia. If you do not make the actual holes in the dough, the finished product will be very smooth.)
• Put the dough in the 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.
• Liberally sprinkle the top of the focaccia with some coarse sea salt and lightly drizzle a little oil on top. Bake the dough until the top of the loaf is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool before cutting and serving.
• Oh baby!

FOCACCIA PIZZA RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the focaccia dough ingredients.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the warm water, honey, and yeast until combined; let stand for 5 minutes. Alternatively, use a large bowl and mix by hand.
• Add 2 1/4 cups of the flour, salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil-mix to create a shaggy dough, scraping down the bowl occasionally.
• Switch to the dough hook; add enough of the remaining 1/2 cup flour to make a sticky dough, mixing on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or knead with hands on a lightly floured surface. The dough should be sticky, so try to avoid adding too much flour.
• Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, covered, and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a rimmed 10 x 15-inch, or 9 x 13-inch sheet pan.
• Place the dough in the pan and let it rest for 15 minutes-this will relax the dough, making it easier to stretch and form to the pan.
• Gently stretch the dough to fit in the pan. Cover it loosely and let it rise for 20 minutes longer. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 450 F. Bake the Pizza
• Gather the toppings and the risen dough.
• Dimple the dough all over with fingertips, transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove the par-baked focaccia from the oven. Evenly spread the focaccia with pizza sauce to taste. Top evenly with sliced mozzarella cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.
• Return the focaccia to the oven and bake until the cheese melts and the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
• Remove the pizza to a rack. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
• Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and scatter the fresh basil evenly over the pizza. Slice and serve immediately.

FOCACCIA BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
• When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.