Go Back

Super Simple, Never-Fail Focaccia

Quick and easy, done for dinner!
Course Breads
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 2/3 C warm water 110-115* degrees
  • 3 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp granulated white sugar
  • 4 C all purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Extra warm water
  • Olive Oil

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, heat water to temperature, add sugar and yeast, stir and let set in a warm location for 10-15 minutes or until it’s frothy (this is “blooming” the yeast). Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Incorporate add-ins (see below) at this point if including. When yeast mixture is fully bloomed and frothy, add to flour and mix with a spoon. The mixture will be dry at first. Begin adding warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time until all ingredients are moist and holding together. All the flour should be fully incorporated with 6-8 tablespoons of water.
  • Sprinkle countertop with a light dusting of flour, and turn dough out onto countertop. Kneed by hand 1-2 minutes until the dough begins to feel soft and smooth, and it’s formed to a ball. Lightly oil the mixing bowl with olive oil, turn the dough ball in the oil to coat completely. Cover bowl with a clean dish towel, place bowl in a warm location, and let the dough to rise to double in size, 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 475*.
  • When dough has doubled in size, punch down and knead once more on a floured surface. Press out to rectangle shape on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, jelly roll pan or baking stone. When shaped, press finger dimples into the dough and lightly brush the dough with olive oil. If making a savory dough, you can tuck fresh rosemary leaves into each dimple.
  • Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately slide the focaccia onto a bread board or cooling rack.

Notes

Add-Ins – you can boost this basic recipe with delicious add-ins. I add 1/4-1/2 C to the dough before the rise.
  • Chopped sun-dried tomatoes
  • Chopped olives – black, green, Kalamata – your choice
  • Minced garlic – I incorporate into the dough as well as sprinkle chopped garlic on top of dough right before baking.
For herb flavoring, I typically add about 1-2 teaspoons of the following to the dough before the rise:
  • Chopped fresh rosemary (chop it small – you don’t want a big bite of it at once!)
  • Fresh thyme leaves
  • Dried basil
You can even make it a sweet focaccia!  I add in 1/2C of the following, chopped small. Just before baking, I brush with a flavorless oil such as canola, and sprinkle with a cinnamon/sugar mix.
  • Fresh strawberries, blueberries, peaches diced small, apples diced small
  • Dates
  • Pecans, walnuts, pistachios
Keyword bread, focaccia, focaccia bread