Now who doesn't love focaccia? Chewy and soft in the centre with incredibly crisp exterior, this Italian flat bread is everybody's favourite. Focaccia is actually a pizza dough. Though it's plain but mind you, by no means it is boring. One can play around with many toppings or herbs like Rosemary, thyme or basil infused into the dough and focaccia can be part of every meal, use it as a sandwich or Panini, in stews and soups, as appetizers or even included in antipasto.
Focaccia dough is very sticky as the water used to knead the dough is more than other types of bread doughs. I used 325 ml of water for 450gms of plain flour. This is extremely important because a well hydrated dough is what gives focaccia it's texture and taste.
Here's how it is made.
Ingredients:
9gms of instant yeast or dry active yeast.
325 ml of warm water. I generally warm the water in microwave for 45 seconds.
1tbsp of sugar
1 Tsp Salt
2-3 Tbsp olive oil. I used extra virgin olive oil.
450gms of plain flour.
Method:
In a bowl, take 325 ml of water and heat it in a microwave for 45 seconds. Add the yeast and sugar and stir well. Allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes until the yeast starts to grow and bubbles are formed.
In a separate bowl, take flour and add salt. Combine together.
Now pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and with the help of the spatula combine the two.
Add Olive oil and knead the dough for few minutes. The dough is going to be very sticky and a little unmanageable. We need this.
Cover the dough with a cling wrap and keep it in a warm place to rest for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes you will see that the dough has got some shape and has become double in size.
Knead the dough with your hands and again rest it for 30 minutes.
Repeat the above step four times. This way you would have proofed the dough for 2 hours with two minutes of kneading every 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Now use a 9x13 inch baking pan. Grease the pan with cooking spray. After this add Olive oil on top. This step is optional but I like to have my focaccia well infused with olive oil.
Transfer your well rested dough into the pan. Slowly stretch the dough to the four corners of the baking pan.
Leave the dough to rest again for 15-20 minutes. This step will further allow you to stretch the dough.
Once your baking pan is covered evenly with the dough, use your fingers and start to dimple the dough making sure your fingers are not touching the bottom of the pan.
Add your favourite toppings like fresh Rosemary leaves, crushed garlic or halved pitted olives to the top of the dough. Generously add Olive oil to the dimpled dough. I used extra 4 Tbspn oil here.
Add your favorite toppings like halved pitted olives or herbs like fresh Rosemary leaves or crushed garlic.
Here I'm adding another 4 Tbspn of olive oil on the dimpled dough. This is over and above the 2Tbspn olive oil that I used in the beginning to knead the dough.
Transfer the baking pan into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden color and crisp.
Your focaccia is ready. You can eat it as is or even dip in olive oil and have.
Love you all.
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