Focaccia Bread
This is a traditional Italian bread. The pronunciation is Foe-cotcha, with the end sounding like "gotcha." This is a unique bread because of the craggy top, olive oil crusted crust and the soft inside. It is very versatile and yummy! The tomato and mushroom version toppings are adapted from Pampered Chef recipes.
Recipe:
1½ C whole wheat flour (I use 1 C hard white wheat and ½ C soft white wheat)
2½ C AP flour
2 Tbs raw wheat germ (optional)
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tsp sugar or honey
1¾ C lukewarm water or a little more
¾ C olive oil (preferably high quality extra-virgin), divided
2¼ tsp salt
Coarse salt for sprinkling on top
Mix together whole wheat flours, wheat germ, water, sugar and yeast. Cover and let rest 20 minutes. Add ¼ C oil, salt and 2½ C AP flour. Knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour or water if needed to keep the dough from being too sticky but still very soft. Place dough in heavily oiled bowl. Cover and rest dough for 20 minutes. Turn out onto oiled counter, lightly pat into rectangle, stretch and fold in all four sides. Return to bowl. Repeat rest and stretch 1-2 times. Let dough rise until double in volume. Prepare cookie sheet or two round cake pans by pouring ½ C oil in the bottom. Drop dough into oiled pan or pans. Try to stretch out dough a little. Cover and let rest 10-15 minutes. Begin to push dough out to fill the pan, turning it over once to coat both sides with oil. Once the dough fills the pan, begin poking holes in the dough with all ten fingers, spreading hands out as you do to make good sized holes to give the top the craggy look. Let it rise again until double. Drizzle very good extra-virgin olive oil on the top, filling all the holes. Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake in pre-heated 450°F oven for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Variations:
You can use any fresh or dried herbs sprinkled on top with the salt. You can add sliced tomatoes, fresh garlic or roasted garlic and olives, as pictured above.
Tomato Variation:
2-3 firm plum tomatoes, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated
3 oz Romano cheese, fresh grated
2-3 tsp dried oregano, crushed in hands before sprinkling on top
Recipe:
1½ C whole wheat flour (I use 1 C hard white wheat and ½ C soft white wheat)
2½ C AP flour
2 Tbs raw wheat germ (optional)
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tsp sugar or honey
1¾ C lukewarm water or a little more
¾ C olive oil (preferably high quality extra-virgin), divided
2¼ tsp salt
Coarse salt for sprinkling on top
Mix together whole wheat flours, wheat germ, water, sugar and yeast. Cover and let rest 20 minutes. Add ¼ C oil, salt and 2½ C AP flour. Knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour or water if needed to keep the dough from being too sticky but still very soft. Place dough in heavily oiled bowl. Cover and rest dough for 20 minutes. Turn out onto oiled counter, lightly pat into rectangle, stretch and fold in all four sides. Return to bowl. Repeat rest and stretch 1-2 times. Let dough rise until double in volume. Prepare cookie sheet or two round cake pans by pouring ½ C oil in the bottom. Drop dough into oiled pan or pans. Try to stretch out dough a little. Cover and let rest 10-15 minutes. Begin to push dough out to fill the pan, turning it over once to coat both sides with oil. Once the dough fills the pan, begin poking holes in the dough with all ten fingers, spreading hands out as you do to make good sized holes to give the top the craggy look. Let it rise again until double. Drizzle very good extra-virgin olive oil on the top, filling all the holes. Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake in pre-heated 450°F oven for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Variations:
You can use any fresh or dried herbs sprinkled on top with the salt. You can add sliced tomatoes, fresh garlic or roasted garlic and olives, as pictured above.
Tomato Variation:
2-3 firm plum tomatoes, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated
3 oz Romano cheese, fresh grated
2-3 tsp dried oregano, crushed in hands before sprinkling on top
After making the holes in the dough and sprinkling with olive oil, sprinkle the garlic on top, add half the Romano cheese, followed by half the mozzarella, then half the oregano, followed by the tomatoes, then the rest of the mozzarella, the rest of the Romano and the rest of the oregano. After it rises, drizzle again with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Mushroom Variation:
3 large garlic cloves, minced
5-6 C sliced, fresh mushrooms
2-3 Tbs olive oil or melted butter
6 Tbs Parmesan cheese, fresh grated, or more
1-2 tsp Italian seasoning, crushed in hands before sprinkling on top
After making the holes in the dough and sprinkling with olive oil, sprinkle garlic on dough, toss mushrooms in oil and arrange on top of focaccia. Sprinkle the seasoning and cheese on top. After it rises, drizzle again with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Mushroom Variation:
3 large garlic cloves, minced
5-6 C sliced, fresh mushrooms
2-3 Tbs olive oil or melted butter
6 Tbs Parmesan cheese, fresh grated, or more
1-2 tsp Italian seasoning, crushed in hands before sprinkling on top
After making the holes in the dough and sprinkling with olive oil, sprinkle garlic on dough, toss mushrooms in oil and arrange on top of focaccia. Sprinkle the seasoning and cheese on top. After it rises, drizzle again with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
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