article and photo by Renata Haidle

With its flat surface and pillowy texture, focaccia is a perfect canvas for unleashing a bit of creativity in the kitchen. You might have already seen focaccia art on social media - it is everywhere nowadays. Flower petals, veggie spears, cheese, olives, and a variety of herbs contribute to creating beautiful, edible masterpieces. Before you start decorating, you will need a great focaccia base. You can easily master this recipe whether you’re a seasoned baker or a kitchen novice - the result is a flavorful bread that is crispy on the outside and soft and airy inside. You can serve focaccia as a brunch item, a side dish, or an appetizer, accompanied by cheese, a charcuterie board, or just some good quality olive oil for dipping. Buon appetito!

Ingredients:

1 Cup water at 80 degrees F.℉

⅓ Cup olive oil

2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 Cups bread flour

1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425℉.

1. In a large bowl, add the water, sugar, and yeast; stir gently to combine. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. After that, the mixture should be airy and foamy. (If it isn’t, the yeast is probably dead; discard it and start over using fresh yeast.)

2. Add the flour and salt, and start mixing with your hands (alternately, you can use a food processor if you have one). The dough will be quite sticky. Gradually add the olive oil and continue mixing until the dough is coming off the walls of the bowl. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-6 minutes. Place the dough back in the bowl, brush with olive oil and cover. Let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

3. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil and flatten the dough, using your fingertips to create dimples all over. Brush lightly with olive oil and let rise for another hour—it should double in size.

4. At this point, you are ready to get creative. Push down the dough with your fingertips to create dimples again, and add your sliced veggies, edible flowers, cheese, olives, or herbs. Bake for 20 minutes, until the crust starts turning golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool down.  

This recipe also works great in a bread machine. Place all the ingredients in the pan, starting with the wet ones, and set the machine on the dough cycle. When ready, remove the dough and place it in a 9x13 dish, then follow the remaining steps above. SLM

Originally printed in the September 2024 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Check this article out in the digital issue of Simply Local here!

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