Rosemary Focaccia

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Making a basic focaccia is a very easy way to begin making bread if you have never tried it before. Depending on how large you stretch your dough, this foccacia can be made thick enough to be used for sandwiches which will create a softer bread, or by spreading it out thinner on the pan before baking it will have a crisper crust.

This is a great, basic focaccia that can be cut into slices and nibbled on for snacking, cut into strips and served in a bread basket to accompany a meal, or cut into big wedges and filled with your favorite ingredients for sandwiches.

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Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 

Rosemary Focaccia

Rosemary Focaccia

Yield: Makes 1 (13 x 9 Inch) Rectangular Pan, or 3 (10 - 12 Inch) Round Loaves
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

A basic focaccia recipe that is great to use for sandwiches.

Ingredients

  • 5 Cups All-purpose Unbleached Flour
  • 2 Teaspoons Instant Yeast
  • 2 - 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Cups Warm Water

Topping:

  • 2 Teaspoons Fresh, Chopped Rosemary
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Coarse Sea Salt

Instructions

  1. Measure and assemble your flour, oil, salt, yeast, and water, and add everything but the water into a large bowl and stir.
  2. Add half the water and stir, and then continue to add water until the dough begins to come together into a shaggy ball.
  3. Dump the dough mixture onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead with the heels of your hand.
  4. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and pliant.
  5. Add a little oil (2 tablespoons) to the bottom of a large bowl and place your ball of dough inside.
  6. Roll the ball around in the oil, ensuring the sides of the bowl, and ball of dough are both lightly oiled.
  7. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise.
  8. Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, about an hour or an hour and a half depending on ambient temperature.
  9. To make a large rectangular focaccia, lightly oil a 13 X 9 inch baking sheet with sides.
  10. Dump your risen dough into the pan punching it down to deflate it.
  11. Use your fingers to push and press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan.
  12. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 20 or 30 minutes or until the dough dimples when pushed with your fingertip.
  13. Use the tips of your fingers to dimple the entire top of the focaccia.
  14. Drizzle olive oil over the top turning the pan carefully to allow the oil to roll into the indentations.
  15. Sprinkle coarse sea salt and chopped rosemary over the top of your focaccia and then let it sit and rise for another 15 minutes while you preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  16. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and cool to room temperature before slicing.

Notes

Variation: To make round loaves, divide your ball of dough after the first rise into three equal parts. I actually weigh mine and these balls weighed 400g each. Sprinkle cornmeal over three baking sheets. Take one ball art a time and use your hands to begin to press into a flat disc. Use the heel of your hand pushing from the center out, turning the circle of dough as you go until you create a circle about 12 inches across. Place each round on a prepared baking sheet, cover with kitchen towels and let rise for 20 to 30 minutes until soft. Dimple the dough with fingers, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and chopped rosemary.

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