Basic Focaccia Recipes

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix the yeast into one side of the flour, and the fine salt into the other side. Then mix everything together, this initial seperation prevents the salt from killing the yeast.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil and 350-400ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a slightly sticky dough (you may not need all the water). Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until your dough is soft and less sticky. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Oil a rectangle, shallow tin (25 x 35cm). Tip the dough onto the work surface, then stretch it to fill the tin. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 35-45 mins.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples. Mix together 1½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp water and the flaky salt and drizzle over the bread. Push sprigs of rosemary into the dimples in the dough.
• Bake for 20 mins until golden. Whilst the bread is still hot, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold with extra olive oil, if you like.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2-cup warm water and honey; let stand for 5 minutes. Add flour, 1/4 cup oil, salt and remaining 3/4-cup water; mixing until smooth (dough will be wet). Scrape the sides of the bowl clean; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., Preheat oven to 425°. Brush a 13x9-in. baking pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Gently scrape dough directly into pan. With oiled hands, gently spread dough. If dough springs back, wait 10 minutes and stretch again. Make indentations in the dough with your fingers. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; let rise until doubled in size, 30-40 minutes. , If desired, sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares; serve warm.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with flour; stir well to combine. Stir in additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all of the flour is absorbed. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly for about 1 minute.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface; knead briefly. Pat or roll the dough into a sheet and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush the dough with oil and sprinkle with salt.
• Bake focaccia in preheated oven for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on desired crispness. If you like it moist and fluffy, then you'll have to wait just about 10 minutes. If you like it crunchier and darker in the outside, you may have to wait 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Put the bowl in a warm, not hot or cool, place until the yeast is bubbling and aromatic, at least 15 minutes.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1/2 cup olive oil and the yeast mixture on low speed. Once the dough has come together, continue to knead for 5 to 6 minutes on a medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft. Give it a sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.
• Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface, then knead it by hand 1 or 2 times. Again, give it another sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.
• Coat the inside of the mixer bowl lightly with olive oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
• Coat a jelly roll pan with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. (Chef's Note: This may seem excessive, but focaccia is an oily crusted bread. This is why it is soooooooooo delicious!).
• Put the dough onto the jelly roll pan and begin pressing it out to fit the size of the pan. Turn the dough over to coat the other side with the olive oil. Continue to stretch the dough to fit the pan. As you are doing so, spread your fingers out and make finger holes all the way through the dough. (Chef's Note: Yes, this is strange. But when the dough rises again it will create the characteristic craggy looking focaccia. If you do not make the actual holes in the dough, the finished product will be very smooth.)
• Put the dough in the warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising a second time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Liberally sprinkle the top of the focaccia with some coarse sea salt and lightly drizzle a little oil on top. Bake the dough until the top of the loaf is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool before cutting and serving.
• Oh baby!

Steps:

• Mix the yeast and water in a small bowl. Let proof for 10 minutes (until bubbles begin to form).
• In large bowl, stir together flour, salt, sugar, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil, and black pepper.
• Add the yeast mix and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and combine.
• When dough has pulled together, turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl, and turn to coat with oil.
• Cover with damp cloth and let rise in warm place 25 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Punch dough down, place on greased baking sheet.
• Pat dough into 1/2-inch thick rectangle (doesn't have to be perfect).
• Using your knuckle, make indentations in the dough about 1/2-inch apart, then prick dough with fork.
• Brush top with olive oil, then sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
• When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Combine the yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir in one-third cup of the water and set aside in a warm place for about five minutes, until the mixture begins to look frothy.
• Add the remaining water, half the salt, the pepper and three tablespoons of the oil to the bowl. Stir in two cups of the flour.
• Add another one-half cup of the flour, or as much as is necessary to form a soft dough that can be gathered together. Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and knead about eight minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
• Use a half tablespoon of the remaining oil to oil a bowl. Place dough in bowl, turn it to oil all sides, cover it lightly and set aside to rise until it has doubled, about one hour.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Oil a nine-inch-square baking dish with some of the remaining oil. Roll or stretch the dough to fit in the baking dish. Prick it all over, then brush it with the remaining oil and sprinkle it with the remaining salt.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the focaccia is browned on the bottom and lightly browned on top. Cut into squares and serve warm or cooled to room temperature.

Steps:

• Whisk together 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add warm water and mix well. If dough is too sticky, mix in another 1/2 cup flour.
• Oil a bowl. Fill another, larger bowl halfway with hot water.
• Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Form into a ball and place in the oiled bowl, turning to coat all sides with oil. Place the oiled bowl in the bowl of hot water. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Oil a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer dough to the prepared baking pan. Press and dimple with your fingers to even out the thickness and work it into the corners to fit. Brush lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese, and finally basil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into 8 squares.