Foccaccia Bread

Have you ever tried Foccacia bread. It’s very easy bread to bake. And. it taste really great. I have made foccacia way more than I can accept. It goes really well with soup.

Looks so rustic!

Ingredients:

 2 cups of bread flour + 2 cups of all purpose flour                                                                      1 tbsp salt                                                                                                                                        1 cup of warm water                                                                                                                        2 tbsp sugar                                                                                                                                      a packet of yeast (about 2 1/4 tbsp)                                                                                              1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Toppings

Fresh rosemary chopped                                                                                                             Salt                                                                                                                                                 Black pepper                                                                                                                             Extra virgin olive oil

Other toppings – Zaa’tar, sumac, dukkah, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, sesame seeds, grapes, cherries etc.

You can also use a combination of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour or only one type of flour. It’s upto you.

Method:

In the bowl of the standing mixer attached to dough hook, add flour and sugar, salt, yeast and give it a rough mix with a spatula. Then add warm water about (110 F) and start kneading the dough with the help of standing mixer and gradually add olive oil. Let the dough come together. Scrape the bowl once in a while to let all the dry flour mix well.

You can also proof the yeast in warm water with sugar if you are not sure, but I kind of mix everything and it still comes out really good. But, if you think your yeast is old then I would definitely suggest that proof it before kneading the dough.

Another note, if you do not have a standing mixer just use a spatula to mix the dough and knead it with your hands.

Once the dough is formed, oil a bowl and put the dough in it coated well in oil and cover it and let the dough rise until doubled in size at warm place for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven at 400 F.

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and stretch it out in a oiled sheet pan.  Keep the thickness of your choice. I like 1/2 inch thick and then it will rest for some more time and it will be perfect. Cover it with a napkin or plastic wrap and let it rest for about 20 -25 minutes. Don’t keep it more than that.

Once it has rested, uncover and drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle with your choice of toppings, usually I go for the classic rosemary, salt and black pepper. But, you have unlimited choices to add as per your taste bud.

Keep it covered for about 20 minutes or more. Once rested,uncover and make some dimples in the dough. And bake it for about 20 minutes or until it is baked and has some nice golden color on it.

Serve it as side or just enjoy it with some dip  with some chilled wine. In anyways, you will like it. I have tried with Zaa’tar also and it tasted good. You can also make sandwiches out of focaccia bread.