Focaccia
Focaccia topped with fresh herbs will quickly become your go to bread recipe to serve with your favorite Italian meals. It's simple to make, though you do need to plan ahead. Whip up the dough the night before you will serve it, then top it with herbs and pop it in the oven just before you want to eat. This recipe is adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups warm (100-110°F) water
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp instant or active dry yeast
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 4½-5 cups bread flour or all purpose flour plus more for hands
Pan Prep
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Topping
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, etc.) can sub 2 Tbsp dried herbs
- course salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- I like to use a stand mixer to prepare my dough. Whisk 1 cup of the warm (100-110°F) water, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 2 teaspoons yeast together in the bowl. Cover with a tea towel and allow the yeast to rest for 5 minutes. Add the paddle or dough hook attachment to your stand mixer.Add the remaining 1 cup of water, olive oil, salt, and 1 cup of the flour. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds.Add 3 1/2 cups more flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. If the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add the last 1/2 cup of flour. Lightly flour a clean dry surface and flour your hands. Place the dough on the floured surface and knead the dough for 3-4 minutes. If the dough is too sticky as you knead, add more flour 1 Tablespoon at a time. The dough should will be a little soft, but shouldn’t stick your hands. If it does, add more flour. You will know your dough has been kneaded sufficiently when you poke it with your finger – if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If it does not bounce back, continue kneading.
First Rise/Proof
- Lightly grease a large bowl with a teaspoon of oil or some nonstick spray. Feel free to use the same bowl you used for the dough if you wish. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours or until double in size.
- *If it's cool in your kitchen and you want to make sure the dough has a warm enough environment to rise, you can place it in a warmed oven. To do this, heat your oven to 150°, then turn the oven off. Place the dough inside, but keep the door open just a little bit. After 30 minutes, close the oven door. When the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the oven.
Grease the Pan
- Generously grease a half sheet pan/jelly roll pan (approximately 12×17 inches with at least 1 inch tall sides) with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Be generous with the oil. You can spread it with your hands or a pastry brush if you have one.
Second Rise/Proof
- When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Place on the oiled sheet pan. Stretch and flatten the dough to fit the pan. It's OK if it shrinks a bit and doesn't fit the pan at first. If that happens, let it rest a bit under a clean towel for 5-10 minutes, then get back to stretching it to fit the pan. You don't want it to have any holes or tears.Now it's time to let the dough rest in the pan. Cover the dough tightly and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. The longer it rests, the better the flavor.
Top and Bake
- When it's time to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature as you preheat the oven and prepare the toppings. Keep it covered. It may rise a little during this time, which is fine.Preheat oven to 450°F. Allow it to heat for at least 10-15 minutes. You want the oven really hot.Whisk the 3 remaining Tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic and chopped herbs in a small bowl.Using your fingers, dimple the dough all over the surface. You want little indentations for the oil and herbs to settle in to. Drizzle on the olive oil herb topping and use your hands or a pastry brush to spread it all over the dough. I always add a little additional olive oil so the dough is completely covered. The olive oil gives it a nice crispy crust. Top with a little coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.Bake for 16 - 18 (if in a jelly roll pan) minutes or until lightly browned on top. If desired, broil on high for the last minute to really brown the top. Keep an eye on this. Depending on your oven and the exact size of your pan, you may need a little less or more time.Cut and serve hot or let it come to room temperature before slicing and serving. Focaccia tastes wonderful warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!