Hubs and I are enjoying some much needed R and R at the beach this week, so this will be a quick post. This focaccia is easy to make, most of the time involved in making it is rising times. Even if you find working with yeast a little daunting, give this bread a try. It's a very forgiving and pretty much fool-proof recipe. I found it to be about like making homemade pizza dough. It smells so good baking and tastes delicious, definitely worth the effort!
source: Bon Appetit-May 1995 (slightly adapted)
INGREDIENTS:2 cups warm water (105°F; to 115°F)
2 teaspoons dry yeast
4 1/2 cups (about) bread flour, or all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (plus enough to coat baking pan) olive oil
1/3 cup black olives (such as Kalamata),pitted, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon sea salt
Put the warm water in large bowl or in a electric mixer bowl, such as a Kitchen-Aid, stir in the dry yeast. Let this stand until yeast dissolves and begins to "bloom", about 10 minutes.
Mix 4 1/4 cups flour and the salt to yeast mixture and stir to blend well (dough will be sticky). Using the dough hook attachment, turning the mixer on low speed, knead for about 5 minutes, adding in flour a few tablespoons at a time, if needed. Alternately, knead the dough by hand on floured surface until smooth and elastic,about 10 minutes, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky.
METHOD:
Put the warm water in large bowl or in a electric mixer bowl, such as a Kitchen-Aid, stir in the dry yeast. Let this stand until yeast dissolves and begins to "bloom", about 10 minutes.
Mix 4 1/4 cups flour and the salt to yeast mixture and stir to blend well (dough will be sticky). Using the dough hook attachment, turning the mixer on low speed, knead for about 5 minutes, adding in flour a few tablespoons at a time, if needed. Alternately, knead the dough by hand on floured surface until smooth and elastic,about 10 minutes, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky.
Lightly oil a large bowl. Forming the dough into ball, place the dough into the oiled bowl.Turn the dough once or twice to to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm area until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough. Form dough into ball again and return to same bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm area until doubled, approximately 40 minutes, it may take less time than that.
Coat 15x10-inch baking sheet with olive oil. Punch down dough, and place onto the prepared baking pan. Press out dough to 13x10-inch rectangle. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil over dough. Sprinkle olives and chopped rosemary evenly over. Let dough rise uncovered in warm area until it puffs slightly, about 25 minutes.
Preheat oven to 475°F. Press fingertips all over dough, making indentations.Sprinkle the top of the bread with the sea salt and bake. It's done when it is until brown and crusty, 18-20 minutes. Let bread cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.
This focaccia is fantastic right out of the oven with a drizzle of olive oil. It makes for killer sandwiches too!
Greeting from Florida's Forgotten Coast. Last night's sunset ( that little black dot in the center of the sunset is a dolphin!) ....we've got a few more to go till it's back to reality!
Coat 15x10-inch baking sheet with olive oil. Punch down dough, and place onto the prepared baking pan. Press out dough to 13x10-inch rectangle. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil over dough. Sprinkle olives and chopped rosemary evenly over. Let dough rise uncovered in warm area until it puffs slightly, about 25 minutes.
Preheat oven to 475°F. Press fingertips all over dough, making indentations.Sprinkle the top of the bread with the sea salt and bake. It's done when it is until brown and crusty, 18-20 minutes. Let bread cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.
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