Focaccia
Flat Italian bread
Focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread product similar in style and texture to pizza dough. Focaccia can be used as a side to many meals or as sandwich bread. They may be topped with rosemary, herbs, olives, peppers or simple salt.
- Serves: 4
- Preparation Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Cooking Time: 25 minutes
- Difficulty: medium
- Tag: Baking Recipes, Bread & Doughs, Bread & Rotis, Dairy Free, Dinner for Two, Dinner Party, Easter Treats, Flour, Italian, Kitty Party, Party Food, Romantic Meal, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp dry active yeast
- 0.5 tsp. sugar
- 1 ½ cup of warm water
- 4 cups flour
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- Mixed herbs to sprinkle
- Sliced bell pepper to top
- Sliced olives to top
Method:
- Mix yeast and sugar to ½ cup of warm water, stir well, and set aside for 10 minutes till the mixture foams up.
- In a large bowl combine the remaining water, salt, flour and the yeast mixture.
- Mix everything well and knead it into nice soft & springy dough. Add flour or water as needed.
- Add 2tbsp olive oil and mix till all the oil is incorporated.
- Coat the dough with just a little bit of oil, cover with damp cloth and leave it to rise in a warm place for around 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down; knead again for 3-4 minutes with light hands. Divide the dough inot two equal balls.
- Roll the dough into two round loafs and use your finger to press it into an even layer 2 cm in thick.
- Cover the dough with a cloth, and leave to rise in warm place for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degree centigrade.
- Just before baking use your finger to press rows of light indentations into the surface of the focaccia dough.
- Brush with the remaining oil, and sprinkle lightly the mixed herbs and coarse salt.
- Dot with olives and sliced capsicum.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until just golden brown.
- Cut into squares or wedges and serve as an accompaniment to a meal, or alone, warm or at room temperature.
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