I’m going to go out on a limb and say you probably didn’t expect to see a recipe for focaccia bread on a healthy eating post. However, when cooking or baking with real ingredients, you don’t have to fear any food group.
What Is Focaccia Bread?
Focaccia bread is an Italian yeast bread that is baked on a flat sheet pan. The dough is flavored with olive oil and baked topped with salt or any combination of herbs that you prefer. Some people like to get fancy and bake vegetables and herbs in a pretty pattern on the top. Make this bread a fantastic pizza crust. Try it dipped in the Easy Weeknight Alfredo Sauce.
Ingredients Used In Homemade Bread
The ingredients list for homemade focaccia bread is fairly small, and most likely you will have all you need in your pantry already.
- Flour- typically bread flour is used, however I didn’t have any on hand when making this recipe so I used all purpose flour and it turned out just as good.
- Water
- Yeast- Instant, active dry, or rapid rise yeast will all work.
- Salt- Traditionally, kosher salt is used but I have used regular table salt as well. I personally use the Ancient Kosher Sea Salt from Redmond Real Salt.
- Olive oil- Use a good quality oil for this recipe, as the olive oil is what gives the bread its wonderful flavor.
Steps For Making Focaccia Bread
Combine all your ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together until a dough forms.
Let dough rest in bowl for one hour.
After resting, lightly flour the countertop and place dough on the floured surface. Stretch dough into a rectangle. Fold into thirds and return to bowl for another 30 minutes.
Generously oil a 1/4 sheet pan with olive oil, add dough and stretch to the sides. Coat top of dough with a layer of olive oil.
Let dough ferment until it fills the pan and rises slightly, anywhere from 2-4 hours.
Preheat oven to 450°.
Use your fingers to dimple the top of the dough.
Bake until top golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
Gently release bread from pan and place on cooling rack. Let cool one hour before cutting.
Homemade Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- 3 c Flour, all purpose or bread flour
- 1 c + 3tbsp Water
- 5 1/2 grams Instant Yeast
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl using rubber spatula until dough forms.
- Let rest in bowl for 1 hour.
- Lightly dust counter top with flour. Place dough on floured surface and stretch into a rectangle. Fold into thirds and return to bowl. Rest another 30 minutes.
- Generously oil a 1/4 sheet pan with olive oil. Place dough into pan and stretch to the sides. Coat the top of the bread with a layer of olive oil.
- Let dough ferment until it fills the pan, anywhere from 2-4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 450°.
- Dimple the top of the bread with your fingers.
- Bake until top is golden brown.
- Gently release bread from pan and place on a cooling rack. Let cool 1 hour before cutting.
