Focaccia anyone?...

Since this attempt to cook and eat based upon what I have, rather than what I want, I suspect that I should return to the Rosemary Focaccia Bread that began this story in an earlier entry. Here it is...

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Focaccia dough is softer than pizza dough, yielding a nearly cakelike interior once it is baked. Baking the focaccia in 8 inch cake pans results in rounds 1 ½ inches thick – perfect for pairing with an unlimited variety of panini fillings (much like a sandwich) or slicing to serve plain as an accompaniment to any meal. If you prefer a crisp crust, drizzle the dough with a generous amount of olive oil BEFORE baking. For a soft crust, brush the focaccia with olive oil immediately upon removing it from the oven.

Ingredients:

1.5 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
1 cup/8 fluid ounces lukewarm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups unbleached all purpose (plain) flour, plus extra for
kneading
1 teaspoon salt
3-4 tablespoons chopped rosemary (can substitute other herbs
such as chives, thyme, or basil…or a mixture of several) Save a
bit to sprinkle on top while baking.
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
Coarse salt (sea or kosher salt)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, stir the yeast into ¼ cup of the lukewarm water. Let stand until creamy…about 10 minutes. (This is called “proofing” the yeast to ensure that it is active.) Stir in the remaining ¾ cup lukewarm water and the olive oil. Add 1 cup of the flour and the salt and stir until smooth. Add the herbs, mix well, and stir in remaining flour.

On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough until smooth and velvety…6-8 minutes. (This is where you get to take out all of the day’s frustrations on your bread dough!!!) The dough will be soft. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough in it, and turn the dough to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel. Put in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, abut 1 ½ hours.

Divide the dough into two equal portions and knead briefly. The dough is ready to be stretched into round bread pans. Let rise about 45 minutes in the pan.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Using your fingertips, dimple the dough in several places. Let rise for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle extra herbs on top for “looks.” (You can also add chopped Greek olives, thinly sliced onions or tomatoes, Asiago cheese….or any other toppings that you like on the focaccia bread’s surface…Be creative!)

Bake until golden brown and cooked through, 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with a generous amount of extra-virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Makes two 8 inch rounds. This recipe doubles easily if you are having a crowd or want to share with friends and family. It is delicious and highly addictive!

Preparation time – just over two hours. I make it on the weekend and do other things while it is rising!

Enjoy!

-Adapted from pp. 26-29, Pizzas (2000) San Francisco, CA: Fog City Press.