Thyme Rosemary Focaccia Recipes

Steps:

• Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 6 tablespoons warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees) the sugar, and yeast. Stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add oil, 1 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees) thyme, and 2 teaspoons rosemary; stir to combine.
• Add flour and salt, and mix on low speed until all the flour is incorporated into dough, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and continue mixing until a very sticky dough forms, cleaning the dough hook 2 or 3 times (it will not completely come up from the bottom of the bowl), about 3 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough with lightly floured hands until smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes.
• Place dough on prepared baking sheet, turning to coat with oil. Cover lightly with plastic wrap; transfer to a warm place, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in the center of the oven. When dough has doubled in size, press out to fill pan. Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap, for 10 minutes.
• Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary and sea salt. Bake until top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Steps:

• In a standing electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment beat together yeast, sugar, and water and let stand 5 minutes, or until foamy. In a bowl stir together table salt and 5 cups flour. Stir oil into yeast mixture. With motor on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to yeast mixture. With dough hook knead dough 2 minutes, or until soft and slightly sticky.
• Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead in enough remaining flour to form a soft but not sticky dough. Form dough into a ball and put in an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Knead thyme into one half and knead plain half 1 minute. Form each half into an oval and invert bowl over them. Let dough rest 5 minutes for easier rolling.
• Preheat oven to 450° F.
• Oil two 13- by 9-inch baking pans and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cornmeal. On lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough halves into 13- by 9-inch rectangles and fit into pans. Cover each pan with a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle plain dough with Parmesan and sprinkle both doughs with coarse salt and pepper. With lightly oiled fingertips make indentations, about 1/2 inch deep and 1 inch apart, all over dough rectangles and bake in middle of oven 12 minutes, or until golden. Remove focaccie from pans and cool on racks.

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast and sugar over 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl. Stir, and set aside for 10 minutes until mixture is foamy. Add 2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cups flour, and 1 tablespoon salt; stir until smooth. Gradually incorporate 4 more cups flour, using your hands once mixture becomes too thick to stir. If dough is sticky, add some of the remaining flour.
• Transfer dough to a clean work surface; knead until smooth and elastic, using any remaining flour if needed, about 10 minutes.
• Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Transfer dough to an oiled 11-by-17-inch baking pan; press to form an even thickness. If dough shrinks back, cover with a damp towel; let rest 10 minutes before continuing. Once dough fills pan, cover with a damp towel; let rise 30 minutes, until doubled in size.
• Use your fingers to make dimplelike indentations in dough. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, allowing oil to fill dimples. Brush with a pastry brush to distribute oil over top of bread. Sprinkle with salt and rosemary; place in oven. Toss a cup of ice cubes into bottom of oven to create steam. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, opening oven as infrequently as possible to prevent losing steam. Remove bread from pan; cool on a wire rack.