As a fair warning, this recipe is time consuming. The dough needs to be refrigerated overnight, and then needs 3-4 hours to rise at room temperature. That being said, it doesn't require kneading or much hands-on effort at all, and this beautiful Italian bread is well worth the time put into it. This focaccia works great as a side for any Italian dish (I made this to eat with spaghetti the other night), or can be sliced for sandwiches.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. instant yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 cup lukewarm water
Olive oil
Garlic salt
Rosemary
Italian herbs
Instructions:
Mix flour, salt, and yeast together in a bowl. Slowly add in the water, continuing to stir until everything is mixed well. Rub olive oil over the dough and cover the bowl. Make sure it is covered well, otherwise the dough may dry out. Place in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
Grease an 8x8 pan well (butter works best). Another option is to line the pan with parchment paper.
Pour a little olive oil (about 2 tsp.) in the center of the pan. Take the focaccia dough out of the fridge. Using a fork, gently roll the dough across the bowl to deflate it a little. Then, use the fork to roll the ball of dough into the prepared pan. Coat the dough in the olive oil by rolling it, then let it rest (uncovered) for 3-4 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour about 1 Tb. of olive oil over the dough. Coat your fingers in the oil before gently poking holes into the dough. This will spread the olive oil evenly and help the focaccia bake better.
Sprinkle garlic salt, rosemary, italian herbs, and any other seasonings you would like on the dough. You can also place chopped vegetables or fresh herbs on the focaccia.
Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the focaccia bread cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy!
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