Focaccia

We never had or even heard of focaccia growing up in our house but then again the Italian side of my family came from southern Italy and then again focaccia, while around for a LONG time in Italy, never made it big here in the US until some trendy foodies "discovered" it and got other foodies on board, then it became a "thing" here like ciabatta. But don't get me wrong, I'm not disparaging focaccia in any way. We really like it and have made it many times over the years or at least since the mid 1990's when we got Carol Fields book - Focaccia, Simple Breads from the Italian Oven. 

Most cultures have flat breads of one kind or another like naan, pita, tortillas, roti, chepati, matzo and, of course, focaccia's cousin - pizza. Flat bread is just that - flat, not formed into a loaf and typically less that 2 " thick. Focaccia has it's roots in the Liguria region in northern Italy. It can be rather plain, topped simply with olive oil and sea salt or studded with pieces of cured meats like pancetta or salami or herbs like rosemary or sage or vegetables like sweet peppers or caramelized onions or even sweet with sliced fruits or berries and dusted with sugar. Unlike other kinds of flat breads that are used as wraps or pockets to hold meats, cheeses, vegetables or sauces, focaccia is eaten simply as it is out of hand crispy,  chewy and flavorful.. 

The focaccia we usually make is simply flavored with white wine, rosemary, olive oil and sea salt. It is not complicated but it does require a little time and attention but what home made bread doesn't, and it is worth it!

Ingredients -

Sponge

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (1 package)

2/3 cup warm water (105 - 115 degrees F)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough

1/2 cup water room temp

1/3 cup dry white wine, we like Pinot Grigio

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The Sponge, from above

2 1/2 cups plus 2 tsp (360 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus up to 2 tablespoons as needed

2 tsp sea salt

Topping

About 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 - 3  x 4" long twigs of rosemary

1 tsp sea salt

Other things you might need - pizza stone, cooling rack, spray bottle

To make the sponge: 

Making a sponge is just a way of getting the yeast started. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large mixing bowl. Wisk it in and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. 

Stir in the flour and beat until smooth. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

To make the dough: 

Add the water, wine, and olive oil to the sponge. Whisk in 1 cup of flour plus the salt first, then beat in the rest of the flour until you have a dough that is very soft and very sticky. 

Turn the dough out onto a floured board or a counter top and with the help of a dough scraper, knead for 6 - 8 minutes pushing, pulling and flipping the wet dough with the scraper. Add up to 2 tablespoons of flour if the dough is too wet and difficult to work with. The dough should be soft but not wet.

First rise: 

Place the dough in a lightly oiled container. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubles, about 1 hour.

Second rise: 

The dough should now be soft, full of air bubbles and stretch easily. Press it out to fill to the edges an oiled 10 1/2" x 15 1/2" pan or a round focaccia pan, as we use. Dimple it well with your fingertips. Don't be afraid to do some good strong dimpling. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until the dough is puffy and doubles, about 45  minutes.

Baking: 

At least 30 minutes before you plan to bake, preheat the oven to 425 F. If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven at this time. 

Strip the leaves off the rosemary twigs and sprinkle over the surface of the dough, then again dimple the dough and add olive oil over the surface until it pools in the dimple marks. Sprinkle the sea salt over the top. 

Place the focaccia pan directly on the stone, or on the oven rack if you don't have a pizza stone, and immediately reduce the oven temp to 400 F. Spray the oven floor and walls with water from a spray bottle 3 times during the first 10 minutes of baking. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden. Immediately remove from the pan and let cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temp. ENJOY!