Focaccia Bread
- Sponge: 24 hours in advance
- Rising time for dough: 1½ hours
- Baking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
For Single recipe
(Makes 1 Focaccia)
- One 13x9x2 Oblong Baking Pan
Sponge Ingredients:
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup flour
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 to 1½ cups flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
Baking Pans:
- One 13x9x2 oblong baking pan
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Oil For Top of Dough:
Optional Toppings For Dough:
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan, mozzarella, or cheese of your choice
- 1½ teaspoons dried basil
- ¼ tablespoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt or coarse sea salt
Ingredients
For Double recipe
(Makes 2 Focaccia)
- Two 13x9x2 Oblong Baking Pans
Sponge Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (or 1 packet of active dry yeast)
- 1½ cups warm water
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1½ cups flour
Dry Ingredients:
- 2½ to 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
Baking Pans:
- Two 13x9x2 Oblong Baking Pans
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
Oil For Top of Dough:
Optional Toppings For Each Pan of Dough:
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan, mozzarella, or cheese of your choice
- 1½ teaspoons dried basil
- ¼ tablespoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt or coarse sea salt
Instructions
-
Make the sponge:
- In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water.
- Add flour and olive oil; stir for 1 minute. Batter will have the consistency of soft pudding.
- This is your sponge.
- Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the sponge rest in a warm place, free from drafts, overnight or up to 2 days. The longer the sponge ferments, the better the flavor of the focaccia bread.
- Transfer the sponge to a heavy duty mixer bowl.
- Add salt and about half of the total amount of flour listed under dry ingredients to the work bowl.
- Using an electric mixer or the paddle attachment for a stand mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Remove mixer or paddle attachments from bowl.
- Insert a dough hook into the stand mixer.
- Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that is smooth and elastic.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface.
- Knead dough for 30 seconds.
- Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Note: If you are making a double recipe divide the dough in half and then allow to rest.
- Generously oil baking pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Shape the dough loosely into a rectangular shape.
- Place the dough in the prepared pan and gently press it to fit in the bottom of the pan.
- Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap.
- Let rise for 1½ hours.
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- While the oven is preheating, gently dimple the dough with your fingertips and drizzle evenly with olive oil. Authentic focaccia is quite oily, so I start with ¼ cup and if necessary add more oil.
- Sprinkle with optional cheese, dried herbs, and sea salt.
- Bake the focaccia until golden, about 25 minutes.
- Remove from pans and cool on a rack. Serve warm.
Comments
One pan will serve 4 to 6.Two pans will easily serve 6 to 12 people.
If you have leftover bread, cut the leftovers into small cubes and make a batch of croutons.