Easy Focaccia

When I lived in Italy I loved heading out mid-morning to do some of the shopping - a stop for some fresh ricotta, fresh mozzarella, veggies that were just picked before daylight and delivered only an hour or so before I came to purchase them and then to the panetteria where I purchased various breads for the day. Ah the memories that come from the smell of fresh bread whose aroma I inhaled all the way back to the house! When it came time for lunch chunks of that fresh loaf, usually a baguette style, would be plentiful.

Most of us love fresh bread but we are often afraid to try making it. Yet when you do, there is something very elemental about the scent of fresh dough rising, the feel of it, the process and eventually the beautiful golden crusted loaf that comes out of the oven enticing us to dig into it right away!

While I have made bread a few times over the years, this process has always intimidated me. Until now. Each day when I go to my new job at the restaurant, the first thing on my list is to get the focaccia made for the evening meal service. Making bread is now a wonderful routine and I love ‘practicing’ at home. I have pulled out my mammoth Culinaria Italy cookbook and look forward to trying all sorts of bread varieties. Just to practice of course!

The recipe I am using at home is one I have adapted from a recipe in The Best of Cooking Light - Italian Favorites. I just use an ordinary 9 - 13 pan, and to let it rise I place it in our bathroom on the towel shelf which is next to the heated towel rack and the floor is heated in there too! Lovely and warm place for the rising to take place. This recipe is so quick when you have a mixer with a dough hook. If at first it doesn’t look exactly as you wish - try again! Practice is the best way to get the feel you need to be aware of when you are baking.

Easy Focaccia Recipe:
1 teaspoon honey
1 package of dry yeast (about 2 ¼ teaspoons)
1 ¼ cup warm water divided into ½ cup and ¾ cup **
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ¼ cups flour, divided into 2 ¾ cup and ½ cup
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Cooking spray
1 - 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh herbs or dry thyme. - I collected rosemary, thyme and some chives from my garden, chopped them up finely and used them on the top of the focaccia.

** to get an idea of what ‘warm water’ means it should be just slightly above body temperature.

1. Dissolve the honey, yeast and ½ cup warm water together in a large bowl and let stand about 10 minutes. Your yeast should be bubbling away after that amount of time just as you want it to. Add the remaining warm water and olive oil.

2. Put your larger amount of flour into the mixing bowl, I add a dash of sugar and a dash of salt, and then add your yeast/liquid mixture. Turn on the mixer and blend it for about 5 minutes adding more flour. You may not need the final ¼ cup. It will feel a bit like elastic to the touch and will be slightly sticky. If it is too sticky just add that last ¼ cup of flour.

3. Turn your dough out onto the counter where you have sprinkled a little flour to keep it from sticking and knead it several times - maybe only 4 times and then shape it into a ball.

4. Spray your pan with cooking spray and place your dough in the middle. Cover with a damp cloth and place it in the warm, draft free area and let it rise for an hour or until doubled in size.

5. Put a little flour on your hands and gently press the dough down pushing it to the corners - very gently though. Sprinkle the to with your chopped fresh herbs or use a liberal amount of dry thyme. Cover again and place back in the warm spot to rise for about another 35-40 minutes. It will double in size again.

6. Preheat your oven to 400F

7. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the top of the bread. Using your fingertips make indentations over the top of the bread. Evenly sprinkle the kosher salt on the top of the bread. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the focaccia is a lovely golden brown colour on the top. If you tap it and it sounds hollow you know it is ready to take out.

8. Tip the pan upside down onto a cooling rack. Let it sit this way for a few minutes and then remove the pan and place the bread right side up.

9. Eat it whenever you are ready!