Just Bake some Focaccia...

May 21

May 21 Just Bake some Focaccia...

While I feel like I’m cheating a bit to post this, the recipe is just too good, too easy and too much of a crowd pleaser not to share. Since reading the article in the NY Times, “This Focaccia isn’t your Garden Variety Focaccia”, I’ve made it twice, putting my own spin on it of course but basically just following the original recipe posted by Amelia Nierenberg.

The hardest part about making this would be finding yeast if you don’t already have some. If you do, don’t wait. Make this for the weekend - It will not go to waste!

This recipe is copied from the NY Times, April 24, 2020. The pictures are mine!

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups Flour

1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast

1 3/4 cup warm Water

4 Tablespoons VOO, some extra for dimpling the focaccia and greasing the pan

1 1/2 Teaspoons Sea Salt (or just use Kosher Salt - that’s what we did)

Here is where your own creativity kicks in. I made my first one 1/2 plain and 1/2 with Tomatoes and Rosemary. The side with the Tomatoes and Rosemary was so good that the next time I made it I made the whole thing Tomato and Rosemary. Other combinations might include Tomato with Basil or Italian Parsley, Dried Oregano, Fennel. Use your imagination. And you could use any vegetable - ie. Zucchini, Eggplant, Mushrooms.

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt and yeast. Add the warm water to the flour mixture and stir until all the flour is incorporated and a sticky dough forms. (Expect a very wet dough; no kneading required.) Pour 2 tablespoons oil into a medium bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turn to coat, and cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 24 hours or for up to 2 days.

When you’re ready to bake, brush the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with oil. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer to the prepared pan. Using your hands, spread the dough out as much as possible. I put oil on my hands so that the dough wouldn’t stick to my fingers. (Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t yet cover the full pan; it will once it relaxes and rises.) Place the dough in a warm place and let rise until about doubled in bulk. The rising time will vary considerably depending on the season. (In the summer, it may take only 20 minutes for the dough to warm up and rise; in the winter, it can take 1 hour or more.) When the dough is ready, it should be room temperature, spread out on the sheet and fluffy.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Using your palms, pat down the focaccia to an even thickness of about 1 inch, then, using your fingertips, dimple the entire dough. Again, I put Drizzle it with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle the entire surface of the focaccia evenly with the sea salt and herbs, if using.

Bake, rotating once front to back, until the top is uniformly golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the focaccia on the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool, then slide out of the pan. Enjoy it hot. (Focaccia deteriorates in quality after the first day. If there is some left over, wrap it tightly in plastic and store at room temperature for another day. Day-old focaccia is delicious in soup.) I toasted the next day and served with my eggs. The article does say that you may need to increase the time you bake it depending on how many vegetables you put on top.