Easy Focaccia
Using a few pantry staples, this Easy Focaccia has an incredibly soft and fluffy center with a perfectly crispy crust. Finish off this irresistible bread with your favorite toppings like fresh herbs, mild and salty olives, parmesan cheese or sun dried tomatoes.
Servings: 10
Calories: 291kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water 95°F to 105°F
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Optional Toppings
- garlic confit
- Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- fresh rosemary roughly chopped
- kalamata olives chopped or whole
- sun dried tomatoes
- cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. In a large bowl combine and stir the warm water with the active dry yeast and honey. Whisk it and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. The mixture should start foaming up if the yeast is good.
- Make the dough. To the yeast mixture bowl, add the flour and salt. Use a spatula to combine everything together. The dough should be shaggy and sticky. Keep mixing it until you can no longer see any dry flour.
- Incorporate olive oil: Pour 4 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Gently fold the dough a few times to incorporate the olive oil throughout, but not completely into the dough.
- Rest and stretch dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes in a warm place. Once rested, grab a quarter of the dough from underneath, then lift up and stretch it until the dough resists. Fold it over and onto itself, then press down to secure the dough in place. Repeat the process 3 times, working around the perimeter of the dough ball, until you’ve completed a full turn. This process develops the dough's gluten and increases elasticity.
- Repeat Stretching. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 minutes. Repeat the process again of folding and resting for another 3 times. You'll notice as you keep stretching the dough, that the dough becomes more elastic and easier to stretch.
- Let dough rise in oiled pan. Generously grease a rimmed 9x13-inch baking pan or sheet with olive oil and scrape the dough into the pan. Spread the dough as much as you can in the pan with your fingers but don't overwork the dough. Cover the pan with a damp towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Dimple the dough. Grease your fingertips with olive oil then begin dimpling the dough (poking the dough with your fingers) all throughout. Drizzle the dough with remaining olive oil and top with your chosen toppings.
- Bake. Transfer the baking pan to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown or until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190°F.
- Cool and serve. Transfer the focaccia bread to a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing it and serving.
Video
Notes
- Use a thermometer to ensure the water to activate the yeast is the correct temperature of 95°F to 105°F.
- To soften 2-4 day old focaccia, wrap the bread in a damp towel, place it on a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for 10 seconds.
- While the dough is resting, place it in the oven where it is draught free or use the proof option if your oven is equipped.
- Focaccia really needs to be eaten when it’s hot to be at its best since it can go stale very quickly. You should store the remaining cooled bread in the fridge wrapped in an airtight plastic bag, it will keep for up to 4 days keeping in mind what toppings you have used.
- Like most types of bread, focaccia will freeze well. It’s best eaten within 2 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 179mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 3mg