A very important question when selecting a slice of focaccia, do you want a slice from the centre which is soft and fluffy or a corner slice which has the soft and fluffy centre but the chewy crust. The corner is my favourite, and I’m obsessed with focaccia bread.
The perfect side to soups and salads, a wow factor on your grazing boards, or delicious as a sandwich bread filled with grilled veggies and provolone cheese. Is anyone getting hungry?
If you are new to bread making and the thought of baking is daunting, then focaccia bread is a great place to start. It’s a simple and easy recipe to follow.
The recipe allows you to observe the dough as it changes in shape, size, texture, and aroma. This recipe is made the night before allowing the dough to prove overnight which means all the hard work is done while you are asleep, and the result is extra fluffy and moist focaccia bread.
Focaccia has been around for over 1000 years, a traditional Italian bread, like pizza dough but containing more yeast to give it that beautiful height.
This focaccia is made with black olives and cherry tomatoes, but you can experiment with different flavour combinations such as potato and rosemary, fig and red onion or sage and blue cheese.
When choosing the flour, a baker’s flour works best because it is stronger. I use Tipo 00 but any bread flour will work well.
Focaccia is best enjoyed on the day you make it. It will keep for 2-3 days but it will go hard and lose that soft and fluffy texture. If you are going to keep it for a few days, you can toast it before serving.
Ingredients
- 450g Tipo 00 flour
- 1 sachet (7g) instant dried yeast
- 1tsp salt
- 1tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 15 pitted black olives
- 80ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- Sea salt
Method
- Place the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl, making sure the salt is not touching the yeast.
- Add 400ml of cold water and mix to form a wet dough.
- Add the chilli flakes, basil, olives and 40ml of the olive oil and mix until combined.
- Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, oil a large rectangular baking tin (approx 3cm x 23cm) with olive oil.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and bring the edges into the centre to deflate.
- Tip the dough into the baking tin, folded side underneath, and using your hands, press out the corners of the dough, gently stretching to cover the base of the tin.
- Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for about 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
- While the dough is proving, mix the remaining 40ml olive oil and the crushed garlic in a small bowl. Set aside to infuse
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced (or 220°C conventional).
- Drizzle the garlic oil evenly over the dough. Use your fingers to press dimples all over the dough.
- Sprinkle generously with sea salt. Bake for
- 30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Drizzle with extra olive oil, and carefully remove from the tin, using a spatula if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
