Make Homemade Focaccia – It’s Easier Than You Think!
What To Know
- It is a bread that is a little bit softer than a baguette, and traditionally it is made with olive oil, onion, tomatoes, and herbs.
- Then, place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour.
- Make sure your dough is well-kneaded before you let it rise, and be careful not to overwork it once it’s in the pan—this will make it tough.
Focaccia is one of those easy Italian dishes that can be whipped up fairly quickly. It is a bread that is a little bit softer than a baguette, and traditionally it is made with olive oil, onion, tomatoes, and herbs. But, how do you make homemade focaccia?
How to make homemade focaccia?
Focaccia is a delicious, fluffy Italian bread that’s perfect for dipping in olive oil or topping with your favorite ingredients. While you can certainly buy focaccia at the store, it’s actually quite easy to make at home. Plus, homemade focaccia is always fresher and tastier than store-bought.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making your own focaccia:
- Start by proofing your yeast. This simply means mixing the yeast with a little warm water and sugar and letting it sit for a few minutes until it’s foamy. If your yeast doesn’t get foamy, it’s probably dead and you’ll need to start over with fresh yeast.
- In a large bowl, combine the proofed yeast with the flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix everything together until it forms a sticky dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for 10 minutes. Then, place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a floured surface again and press it into a greased baking dish. Be sure to press it out evenly so that it’s about 12-inch thick all over.
- Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Once the dough has risen for the second time, use your fingers to make indentations all over the surface. Then, drizzle the dough with olive oil and sprinkle on some salt.
- Bake the focaccia for 20–25 minutes, or until it’s golden brown.
- Allow the focaccia to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
- Enjoy your homemade focaccia!
What are the ingredients for focaccia bread?
Focaccia bread is a type of Italian bread that is made with flour, water, salt, and yeast. The dough is then kneaded by hand or with a mixer, and left to rise for 30 minutes to an hour. Once it has risen, it is flattened into a disk and placed on a baking sheet. Olive oil, rosemary, and salt are then added to the top of the bread. The bread is baked in a preheated oven for 20–25 minutes.
Focaccia bread originated in Italy, and its name comes from the Latin word for hearth. The dough was traditionally cooked on a stone slab that was placed over hot coals. Today, focaccia is still made in Italy, as well as in other countries around the world.
How do you fix focaccia bread that has dried out?
If you find you have some dried out focaccia bread, all is not lost. You can fix the bread by toasting it in the oven. It will be extra crispy and will be softer to eat. You can also make it by spreading it with a garlic mixture mixed with olive oil and fresh rosemary—sounds delicious, right?
Focaccia is incredibly versatile. You can eat it as a meal or snack, or it can be crumbled into soup.
How can you improve homemade focaccia?
Start with quality ingredients to improve your homemade focaccia. Use a good olive oil, and if you can, get ahold of some fresh herbs to really give the bread flavor. Make sure your dough is well-kneaded before you let it rise, and be careful not to overwork it once it’s in the pan—this will make it tough. When you bake the bread, make sure the oven is hot enough so that the bread gets nice and crispy on the outside. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to making better focaccia at home.
Is focaccia like a pizza?
Though both focaccia and pizza are Italian flatbreads, there are several key differences between the two. Focaccia is made with olive oil, while pizza dough is usually made without any fat. This makes the focaccia dough richer and more flavorful.
Pizza dough is also thinner than focaccia dough, which results in a crispy crust. Toppings for focaccia are typically added before baking, while toppings for pizza are added after the dough has been cooked.
A last word
All in all, making focaccia is a fairly simple process. All you need to do is follow the instructions below and you are on your way to making a delicious and fluffy focaccia bread.
