Classic Focaccia Bread
My grandmother made this focaccia bread for a Saturday lunch to be served with a wedge of parmigiano reggiano cheese, assorted salamis, roasted red peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes and glass of my uncles Chianti -(her brother had a winery in upstate NY before it was popular!) It is a simple delicious and very forgivable dough. It is chewy and soft in the center with a crispy exterior. You can make it in the morning and serve it for either lunch or dinner. The focaccia pictured here is made with roasted cherry tomatoes, slivered salami and mozzarella cheese. This is also a great bread to serve at a BBQ or take to the beach for a summer beach picnic (which we do all the time in Nantucket).
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen pieces
Ingredients
2 cups (480ml) warm water (between 100-110°F, 38-43°C)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 standard package of active dry yeast (or you ca use instant yeast)
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
4 and 1/2 – 5 cups (565g-630g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands (we used King Arthur Bread flour - which we find to be the best)
TOPPING & PAN
5 Tablespoons (75ml) extra virgin olive oil or more as needed, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
3–4 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, and rosemary (or 2 Tablespoons dried herbs)
6 ounces of mozzarella cheese
4 ounces of salami sliced very thin
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
Sprinkle of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the dough: Whisk half of the water (1 cup) , 2 teaspoons sugar, and 2 teaspoons yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Add the remaining water, olive oil, salt, and 1 cup flour. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds, then add 3 and 1/2 cups more flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. If the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add the last 1/2 cup of flour. Knead the dough for five minutes on low speed instead. If the dough is too sticky as you knead it, add more flour 1 Tablespoon at a time. The dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and put it into a lightly greased large bowl (use olive oil to grease the bowl) turning to coat completely. Place the bowl in a warm place, where there is no draft, and cover with a towel or with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for two or three hours or until doubled in size.
While the dough is rising put the oven and set the to 425 degrees. Toss the tomatoes in olive oil and spread on a sheet pan and bake until just blistered. Remove them from the oven and set aside.
When the dough has doubled punch down and prepare the pan you will bake the bread in. Generously grease a 12×17 inch baking pan (with at least 1 inch tall sides) with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. This is the base layer of the bread, so be generous with the oil. Place the flattened dough on the pan and gently stretch it out to the border of the pan. If it shrinks back after you stretch it allow it to rest for a few minutes and then attempt again (it took me a few tries to get it to fully fill the pan)
Cover the dough and let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour. The longer it rests, the better the flavor so you can let it rest overnight if you want. While the dough is resting preheat the oven to 475 degrees for at least 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and brush with olive oil making sure the entire surface is covered as this will give you a very crispy crust. Gently punch the dough down with your fingers taking care not to tear the dough. Add the toppings evenly and sprinkle with a little coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bake for 20-23 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a moment. To serve, slide the whole bread onto a cutting board. (see photo)
Cut and serve hot or let it come to room temperature before slicing and serving (it is delicious both ways). Focaccia tastes wonderful warm or at room temperature. Cover leftover focaccia tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.
