Focaccia            

This could quite possibly be the king of flatbreads.  When made properly it is light and airy and moist with olive oil, flavorful and delicious.  Cousin to the pizza dough, baked with a variety of toppings from rosemary and sea salt, to olives, to grilled vegetables, with tomato and cheeses like a pizza, sliced in half as a sandwich bread, served as a fougasse with fruit and streusel topping.  The options are endless.  It is a flatbread not a fast bread and patience is the key.

Ingredients for Focaccia

For the yeast

1. ½ cup warm water, approximately 100° -105° (no hotter)
2.   3 envelopes Fleischmann’s Active Dry yeast

For the Focaccia

1. 1¾ Cups of warm water
2. ½ cup Olive Oil
3. 6½ cups flour
4. 1 Tbs salt
5. 4 one gallon zip lock bags with about 2 tbs Olive oil rubbed all inside

Directions for Focaccia

Take the bowl of the mixer and place the yeast and the ½ cup warm water into it.  Whisk it lightly and set aside for about 10 minutes.  If the yeast is active it should dissolve and turn the mixture creamy. *TIP rinse the bowl in warm water and dry before putting the yeast in, so that it doesn’t cool the water too much and slow the growth of the yeast.

In a bowl combine the flour and salt.

Now pour the 1¾ cups of warm water (100° – 105°) and the olive oil into the yeast and stir to combine.  Once combined add about 3 cups of the flour and using a spatula mix until just combined.  Now place the dough hook in the bowl and connect bowl to mixer add the remaining flour and on low speed  mix until the dough comes together.  At this point adjust the dough if looks too dry and stiff add a few drops of water.

On a medium speed knead the dough for about 8 – 12 minutes, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the hook as you go.

You will know you are done when you have a moist and extremely elastic dough that will stretch without tearing and cleans the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a ball.  Place it into a large bowl that has been well coated with Olive oil.  Turn the ball around to coat completely with oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place, until doubled in size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once doubled in size gently deflate the dough and turn in the bowl to cover again with oil, rewrap bowl in plastic wrap and allow to rise a second time, until again doubled in size.

Take the gallon ziplock bags and place 2 Tbs of oil into each.  Close and massage bags to get entire inside coated with oil.

When the dough has risen a second time turn it out and gently form into a large ball and using a large knife cut into 4 equal parts, and form each part into a ball.  Place each ball into one of the ziplock bags and store in the refrigerator for no less than  24 hours.

The next day when your ready to bake the breads take it out of the refrigerator at least an hour and a half before your going to use it.  Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Dust lightly with flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel.

Baking the Focaccia

There are a number of different ways to bake the bread depending on your situation you can certainly try a few to decide which one you like best.

For all forms of baking, preheat the oven to 450° and set the rack in the lower third of the oven.

If you have a baking stone or are going to bake on a sheet pan, take the dough and on a lightly floured surface  very gently work it out to about a 9 X 9 inch square.  Place what ever flavorings you are going to use on the top, ie: sea salt and rosemary and then sprinkle olive oil lightly over all.  Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. If using a baking stone place a fair amount of corn meal on a peel place the dough on to it and slide onto the stone.  If you have a spray bottle spray a little water into the oven to create a mist or throw a few ice cubes onto the bottom of the oven.  Bake for about 20 minutes until the top is lightly browned.

For a sheet pan place a piece of parchment paper onto the pan  sprinkle lightly with corn meal and bake the same as above.

My favorite way to bake Focaccia is to use a cake pan.  While researching Irish Soda Bread I came upon a recipe that used one and I have tried it with a few other breads and it works really great with the Focaccia.

Take a 9 inch round cake pan and put about 2 Tbs of olive oil in the bottom and spread it around.  Take a ¼ of the focaccia recipe and gently press into the shape of the pan.  flavor as you wish and drizzle a little olive oil over all.  If when you have it to the edges there is a rim of olive oil lift the dough slightly and let the oil seep underneath.  Open preheated oven and throw in a handful of ice cubes, place the cake pan in the lower 1/3 of the oven and  bake for about 20 minutes.  Once baked remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Another twist use a square pan to make sandwich slices, once they are baked and cooled cut into 4 equal parts and then slice horizontally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
KitchenAid KP26M1XNP5 Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer, Nickel Pearl
Old Stone Oven 4467 14-Inch by 16-Inch Baking Stone
Kitchen Supply 14-Inch x 16-Inch Aluminum Pizza Peel with Wood Handle

 

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