Focaccia with rosemary
Focaccia with rosemary
Focaccia is an Italian flat bread and is made in a similar way to pizza dough, just without the tomato sauce and cheese! You’ll find it throughout Italy, particularly in Liguria where locals eat it at all times of the day, including dipped into a cappuccino for breakfast: a scandalous concept to most other Italians. I prefer focaccia for lunch or served as a side to a main meal.
I’ve made a basic focaccia with rosemary for this post, but you can add anything you like on top. Olives, tomatoes, caramelised onions, potatoes - anything that tickles your fancy. The trick to getting it crispy on top but still light and soft in the middle is the ‘brine’ (a mixture of olive oil, water and salt) that you pour all over the dough before baking. It’s best eaten warm or at room temperature the day it’s made.
Ingredients
For the dough
1½ tsp dried yeast or 2 heaped tsp fresh yeast
300ml lukewarm water
500g strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
For baking the focaccia
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
2 tsp salt
Fresh rosemary
Method
Stir the yeast into the lukewarm water and leave to rest for about 5 minutes.
Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the olive oil to the water mixture then pour into the bowl with the flour. Stir with a fork or spoon until the dough comes together then tip it out onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is soft and elastic. Place the dough into a well-oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in the warmest place in your house for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, take it out of the bowl and shape it on an oiled baking tray. To do this, gently press the dough out with your fingers to fit the baking tray. Place the damp tea towel back over the dough and leave to rise for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C.
Once the dough is ready, keeping the fingers of your hand stiff, make small holes all over the dough with your fingertips. Whisk together the olive oil, water and salt in a small bowl, then pour over the focaccia. Finally, take pieces of fresh rosemary and push them into the holes.
Bake for about 20 minutes until lovely and golden.
