Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe

bread

Homemade bread offers numerous health benefits, particularly when crafted with very few ingredients. As you prepare this delightful bread, you will not only enjoy the process but also reap the rewards of a healthier lifestyle. We encourage you to share this recipe with friends and family to promote wholesome eating.

This easy focaccia bread recipe offers a delightful opportunity to create a wholesome loaf in the comfort of your own home. By utilizing simple, natural ingredients, you can embrace a holistic approach to baking that nourishes both body and spirit. The process of minimal kneading and baking not only results in a delicious final product but also promotes mindfulness and connection to the culinary arts. Enjoy the rewarding experience of savoring your homemade bread. This recipe also supports gut health, as it involves wholesome ingredients (especially if you are using part of whole grain flour), and by not using processed ingredients we protect our gut microbiome.

As you gather your ingredients, take a moment to appreciate the quality and origin of each component, reinforcing your commitment to a holistic lifestyle. The aroma of freshly baked focaccia bread will fill your kitchen, inviting warmth and comfort while nourishing your body with every bite. Let this bread be a staple in your home, providing both sustenance and a sense of accomplishment.

 

Ingredients –

12 oz water -lukewarm

16 oz all purpose or bread flour ([most time I use 50% whole wheat flour (to keep it healthy), but keep 50 % all purpose flour to get better texture) ]

2 oz olive oil

6-10 gram sugar (to feed yeast)

6 gram salt

1.5 tsp yeast

How to make it –

Should be easy as it says in the heading, I promise!

Mix everything in a deep pot, stand mixer or bread machine (not necessary) and mix well, so there are no lumps and leave it in warm place like oven with light on for about an hour, let it rise until it doubles and this does the trick.

Dump onto lightly floured surface ( I am lazy, I do not dump it anywhere as it adds to cleaning work), knead the dough for 15 times, it is like stretching the dough, no vigorous kneading.

Gently and lightly flatten out using your finger tips. Cover and let sit for 10 min, no longer! this lets the dough relax and becomes easier to handle. I suggest not to skip this, just like us, dough needs relaxed or it will not cooperate for the next step!

At this point, you can get creative- can just make simple focaccia like flat rectangular, shape in small rounds to make rolls, shape it in number to use for birthdays etc.

Also, the fun part, you can poke the holes in your dough,  to get that classic focaccia look! It is very satisfying, my daughter loves this part!

Dough should be slightly sticky. Pour a small-ish amount of olive oil on your loaves as you shape them.

From now until you put them in the oven, they should rise 30-45 minutes. This time varies but 35-45 minutes makes the best looking bread.

When the dough rises, you can make various toppings, and again, can be very creative, like you see on social media, with the whole garden scene on it. Before you do that, make sure that toppings have oil on them to bake correctly. Puit toppings gently onto the rising dough.

You can also put sprinkle of rosemary and some other herbs and coarse salt if you like.

Preheat oven to 415 (no turbo mode please, bread with burn).

Bake for about 30-40 minutes until it looks done. Make sure sides and bottom are not looking white, if they do, cover the loaf with aluminium foil and put back in oven. You want fully cooked bread.

 

Some topping suggestions-

Onion, garlic, peppers, olives, feta cheese, parm cheese, tomatoes (remove seeds first) eggplant, mushrooms etc.

For the rolls, I actually sprinkled some begal seasoning and it was delicious.

 

Hope you enjoy it.

 

Published with permission of Miss Lauri Baily, our piano teacher.