Is more always better or the crust doesn’t matter? Let’s try focaccia bread that’s nothing else but what matters!
The main difference between a pizza and focaccia is that focaccia is left to raise before baking, while pizza is tossed into the oven immediately after stretching and topping. The extra time gives focaccia bread time to expand in volume resulting in a thick fluffy bread.
There are no rules or limits of what could go onto a focaccia once it comes out of the oven. Since it uses extra virgin olive oil and salt as its defining ingredients, sweet toppings aren’t always the most popular choices, although sweet focaccia is not unheard of even in Italy.
And yes, adding tomato sauce and cheese on focaccia, essentially makes it a Detroit style pizza, so yes, we can make pizza from focaccia if need drives us to it.
Cutting the focaccia in half horizontally allows us to use it as sandwich bread that only a few can resist who like gluten and carbs, even just half-heartedly.
Rosemary or sage are very popular herbs to top focaccia, so it is adding potato to the dough in various amount. Potato makes the dough softer and moistier which some people like while others detest so if we make it for a special person who is also Italian, it’s better ask if focaccia should have any potatoes or not.
Ingredients
Starter
- ⅞ cup / 100g Flour
- ½ cup / 100ml Water
- ¼ teaspoon / 1g Fresh yeast
Dough
- 2½ cup / 325g Flour
- ⅔ cup / 150g Water
- 2 tablespoons / 30g Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons / 10g Salt
- 1 teaspoon / 5g Fresh yeast
- 1 sprig / 3g Rosemary
How to make Focaccia bread
Starter
- Making a starter is not absolutely necessary but it will provide a more complex flavor for the dough. Combine flour, water and the yeast in an airtight container and put it into the fridge for 4 – 6 hours. It will double in size so choose a big enough box.
Dough
- Measure flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, salt and fresh yeast into a kneading bowl. Add the starter in too. It tends to stick to the box but mixing it with some flour from the bowl will help salvage every bit without much effort. If starter is not used, add the equivalent amount of flour and water to the bowl.
- Knead until a uniform texture forms.
- Stretch the dough into a baking sheet. Rub it with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil so it won’t dry out.
- Cover the dough then let it rise at a 68°F – 81°F /20°C – 27°C temperature place until doubles, about 45 – 90 minutes. Sprinkle rosemary leaves on top of the risen dough. Poke holes through the dough until our fingers touch the bottom of the baking sheet.
- Place the dough on the upper medium rack of a preheated 480°F / 250°C oven until golden brown spots start to appear on top, for about 10 – 15 minutes.
- Brush some extra virgin olive oil on top for extra softness and flavor. Slice and serve!
Enjoy!
Focaccia Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Starter
- ⅞ cup Flour
- ½ cup Water
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh yeast
Dough
- 2½ cup Flour
- ⅔ cup Water
- 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Fresh yeast
- 1 sprig Rosemary
Instructions
Starter
- Making a starter is not absolutely necessary but it will provide a more complex flavor for the dough. Combine flour, water and the yeast in an airtight container and put it into the fridge for 4 – 6 hours. It will double in size so choose a big enough box.
Dough
- Measure flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, salt and fresh yeast into a kneading bowl. Add the starter in too. It tends to stick to the box but mixing it with some flour from the bowl will help salvage every bit without much effort. If starter is not used, add the equivalent amount of flour and water to the bowl.
- Knead until a uniform texture forms.
- Stretch the dough into a baking sheet. Rub it with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil so it won’t dry out.
- Cover the dough then let it rise at a 68°F – 81°F /20°C – 27°C temperature place until doubles, about 45 – 90 minutes. Sprinkle rosemary leaves on top of the risen dough. Poke holes through the dough until our fingers touch the bottom of the baking sheet.
- Place the dough onto the upper middle rack of a preheated 480°F / 250°C oven until golden brown spots start to appear on top, for about 10 – 15 minutes.
- Brush some extra virgin olive oil on top for extra softness and flavor. Slice and serve!
Notes
Pin now, Enjoy later!
