The Best Easy Focaccia Bread
The perfect focaccia bread to go with soups, with spaghetti, or just enjoy on it’s own. It’s so easy to make, too, and so satisfying. I love that you can make it look fancy by adding different herbs and spices both in it and on top, or just keep it plain and simple by adding a few herbs. Either way, I know you’ll enjoy this recipe.
Focaccia is a type of Italian flat bread that is oven baked and leavened. The word ‘focaccia’ comes from the Latin word, focus, which means ‘hearth, place for baking’, as this bread was traditionally baked on the ‘hearth’. Focaccia can be square, round or rectangular. The basic ingredients are flour, oil, water, salt and yeast. Many people add herbs and spices both in and on top of focaccia to create a unique look and flavor.
Focaccia is delicious all on it’s own, but it really shines as a side. It pairs perfectly with my Coconut Chicken Curry, Carnitas Soup, or White Chicken Chili. It would also be so delicious as sandwich bread. Think of how jealous your coworkers would be when you show up with your focaccia bread sandwich. Or a grilled cheese sandwich with focaccia bread. I’m drooling just thinking about it!
Ingredients
- Flour– I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Yeast– I used rapid rise yeast.
- Water– to activate the yeast. I used hot tap water as this is what helps the yeast bloom.
- Salt
- Sugar– to help the yeast develop.
- Garlic– yummy garlic flavor. Fresh garlic is best.
- Basil– adds such a delicious flavor. I used both purple and green basil from my garden.
- Oregano– also from my garden. If you have fresh herbs in your garden, try using those even if they are different than what I have listed here.
- Olive oil
How to Make Focaccia Bread
As stated in the title, this focaccia bread is easy to make. It does have two rise times, but that just gives you time to clean up. Before you begin, preheat your stove to 160 degrees. This is where you will put your dough ball to rise once you have it formed.
First, you mix the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup of the water together and let sit for 5 minutes while it develops. Then, you add 1 cup of flour, the herbs, salt, and the yeast mixture to a large bowl and stir together. I just used a spatula to mix so you don’t need any fancy equipment.
Then you’ll add the remaining flour and water, mix that in, then form the dough ball. You may find that you need to add a bit more water, only up to 1 tablespoon. Its ok if the dough ball is a bit wet. You’re going to knead it on a floured work surface.
Knead the dough into a circle, then fold it in half and repeat the process three times before forming a dough ball. Once you have your dough ball formed, your going to put it into the oil bowl you set aside earlier and cover with a towel. Set it in the preheated oven that has been turned off. Let the dough rise for an hour. Once the dough has risen, remove it from the oven and then you’ll want to punch it down.
Spread the dough in a 9×13 pan. It may seem like it doesn’t want to cover the whole surface but it will. Pour the remaining oil from the bowl onto the dough and brush it around either using your fingers or a basting brush. Make small indents in the dough with your fingers that the oil can pool in a bit. You can add decorations like I have done above if you want. Or you can just leave it plain and sprinkle some sea salt on top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set on top of the warm stove to rise for another 20 minutes. Once it has risen for a second time, place it in the oven that you have preheated to 400 degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The top should be golden brown and it should feel firm to the touch when done.
Focaccia bread is so versatile. In addition to dipping it into soups, making it into a sandwich or just eating it plain, there are a variety of popular toppings. These include: pesto sauce, cheese (such as parmesan and asiago), rosemary, olives, tomatoes, and more. Just get creative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Focaccia bread should be stored in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to five days for best results. The great thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t make that much so you shouldn’t have too much left over, depending on how many people you are serving.
Yes, you can freeze the dough. After Step 8 of the instructions, form the dough into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and then put it in a freezer safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 2 months for best results. When you want to bake it, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and proceed with the remaining instructions.
Focaccia genovese (Genoese focaccia) is the variant of focaccia bread most people know as it is the variant that has the trade mark indents in it. The indents help to preserve moisture as the oil that is brushed on pools in these indentations.
The Best Easy Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- 1/4 ounce yeast (1 yeast packet)
- 3/4 cup water (split)
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon basil, fresh
- 1 tablespoon oregano, fresh
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon corn meal
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside. Spread corn meal over a 9×13 pan, set aside. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. After it has preheated, wait another 10 minutes and then turn it off. This is where you will proof your bread.
- In a 2 cup measuring cup, add the packet of yeast, 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/4 cup of the water. Stir to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- While yeast is resting, chop the 1 tablespoon of fresh basil and 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano.
- Into a large bowl, add the yeast mixture and 1 cup of the flour. Mix together with a spatula till it starts to combine.
- Add remaining 1 cup of flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon basil and 1 tablespoon oregano. Mix to combine. You will notice that it seems a bit dry. Add a tiny bit of water, no more than a tablespoon, and keep mixing. You will see that it starts to come together and start forming a ball shape. It will be sticky. This is ok as we are going to knead it in some flour.
- On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough. I like to knead the dough until it is no longer is sticky. This shouldn't take long, maybe 5 minutes. You definitely don't want to over-knead it. I like to flatten it out with my hands and fold it in half, then in half again, and repeat this process a few times.
- Once you've got your nice dough ball formed, put it on the bowl you have prepared with the 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and set it in the warm oven. Be sure the oven is off! Let the bread rise for 1 hour.
- After an hour, take the dough out of the oven. You will see that is has risen quite high. Punch the dough down. Be sure to preheat the oven to 400 degrees after you have removed the dough.
- Spread the dough over the 9×13 pan. Dump all of the oil from the bowl onto the bread. Poke indents in the dough with your fingers randomly. The oil will pool in the indents. This is what you want. If you want to decorate the bread at this time, do so. I like to add fresh herbs and coarse sea salt.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap very lightly. Let rise for 20 minutes. You can just put it on your stove and the heat from the oven will be enough for the second rise.
- Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Enjoy your yummy focaccia bread with soups, as sandwich bread, alone. The options are endless.
Notes
Nutrition
About Author
