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Seasoned Focaccia

When you think of baking bread you probably envision hours and hours of kneading and proofing. That is not the case with this Focaccia bread. It only has one proof cycle, which means beginner cooks will experience greater success. The finished product is golden brown with bucket loads of garlic.
If you’ve never had focaccia bread, it’s somewhat like pizza dough-chewy inside and crispy outside. Because it’s thick, it can hold a fair amount of toppings besides those suggested in this recipe. Here are some ideas for your consideration:
Pizza style: sauce, cheese, and pepperoni
Greek style: feta cheese, olives, basil, and balsamic
Bacon and asparagus topped with feta and honey
Buffalo blue cheese: chicken pieces, blue cheese, hot sauce
Caramelized onion butter
Pesto: fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese
Leek with shrimp and bacon bits
Salmon with cream cheese
Hamburger with cheese, onions, and pickles
Tips for Success: Make sure to use extra virgin olive oil. It makes a huge difference. Don’t skimp on the garlic (Vampires beware). Before buying, check the yeast’s label to make sure it’s not expired. Finally if you find the dough sticking to your hands, just use a little of the olive oil on your hands (Do not drench).

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ tbs fresh rosemary, chopped**
  • ½ tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • ¼ tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 2.5 cups flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ** If you love rosemary you can increase the rosemary to 1 tbs.

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425.
  • Put the oil, garlic, and rosemary in a small saucepan.
  • Cook over a low heat.
  • When the garlic starts to sizzle remove it from the heat.
  • Set aside.
  • Using a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water.
  • When the mix begins bubbling, add the flour and salt.
  • Whisk together. The mix will be very wet and sticky.
  • Cover the bowl with cling wrap, leaving it to proof for 2 hours (it should double in size).
  • Evenly spread 1 tbsp of the oil mixture on an 8X8 baking tray.
  • Place your dough in the middle of the tray, spreading it evenly in all directions.
  • Make small indentations over the whole top using your thumb.
  • Spread the rest of the oil over the bread.
  • Leave this to rise for a half an hour.
  • Bake for 30 minutes (it will be golden brown).
  • Let the bread cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

Storage: If you wrap the bread carefully it freezes safely for about 1 month before losing quality.