Easy Rosemary Focaccia Food

CLASSIC FOCACCIA

Steps:

• 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, adding oil to the dough if needed to keep it from sticking. (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. 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.)

EASY ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Combine 5 tablespoons warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Add flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the yeast mixture; stir well to combine. Stir in 1 tablespoon additional water at a time, if necessary, until all flour is absorbed and mixture has pulled together into a dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until springy, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 465 degrees F (240 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Deflate dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly, then pat or roll dough into a sheet and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Brush with remaining oil and make dimples across the surface with your fingertips. Sprinkle with rosemary leave and extra salt to taste.
• Bake in the preheated oven to desired crispness, about 10 minutes for light and fluffy or 20 minutes for crunchier and darker on the outside.

EASY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large stoneware bowl, stir together the flours and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Sprinkle the sugar and yeast into that well. Carefully pour the water into the well. Let stand until the yeast begins to act, about 5 minutes. Pour 2 tablespoons of the oil into the well. With a wooden spoon stir the mixture in the center of the bowl. Gradually widen the circle of stirring to take in all of the flour at the sides of the well.
• Turn out on a floured surface, and knead just until smooth. Keep the dough soft. Pour 1/2 teaspoon of the oil into a clean bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning once to oil the top. Cover. Let rise until doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Punch the dough down. Use 1 teaspoon of the oil to coat a baking sheet, and place the dough on the baking sheet. Gently press the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over the top of the dough. Use the handle end of a wooden spoon to dimple the dough at 1 1/2 inch intervals. Sprinkle with the rosemary and the cheese. Place in a cold oven on the center shelf. Place a flat pan of hot water on the shelf below the bread. Let rise until doubled, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Turn on the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake the focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned on top. Remove from the pan, and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

THREE FLAVOUR FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Place the flours and ½ tablespoon of sea salt into a large bowl, and make a well in the middle. Add the yeast and sugar to the lukewarm water, and mix with a fork. Leave this for a few minutes and, when it starts to foam, slowly pour it into the well, mixing with a fork as you go.
• As soon as all the ingredients come together, which may take a minute or so, knead vigorously for around 5 minutes until you have a smooth, springy, soft dough.
• Lightly oil a large bowl with some olive oil and transfer the dough to the bowl. Dust with a little extra flour, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 30 minutes until doubled in size.
• While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7 and prepare the toppings.
• For the balsamic onion topping, finely slice the onions and pick the thyme leaves. Fry the onions and thyme in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a low heat for about 5 minutes. Add 6 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, reduce for a minute or two, then leave to cool.
• For the basil and cherry tomato topping, pick and roughly chop the basil leaves and halve the tomatoes. Pop the basil and tomatoes into a bowl and season with sea salt and black pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a tiny splash of white wine vinegar. Peel and slice the garlic and mix into the bowl.
• To cook the focaccia, as soon as the dough has risen, pound it, then place on a baking tray and spread it out to cover the tray. Push down roughly on top of the dough like a piano to make lots of rough dips and wells.
• Divide the onion and the tomato toppings over two thirds of the focaccia.
• For the three-cheese and rosemary topping, break up the Taleggio and the goat's cheese over the remaining third of the focaccia. Grate a handful of Parmesan cheese and pick the rosemary leaves. Sprinkle both over the final third and season with pepper. Finish with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
• Leave to prove for a further 20 minutes, then bake for 20 minutes, until golden on top and soft in the middle.

KENNY RANKIN'S ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Combine the bread flour, 00 flour, water, yeast and 15g salt in a mixing bowl and knead gently until smooth. This should take approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cover the mixing bowl with a tea towel and leave to rest, in a warm place, for 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. This allows the bread to become lighter and softer in texture.
• While the dough is rising, prepare a baking tray by lightly oiling the base and sides using vegetable oil. Now's a good time to make sure your wood fire oven is pre-lit and ready for your bread.
• Transfer the dough to the baking tray. Spread out evenly using the palm of your hands and gently expel the gas from the dough (you'll notice that the dough is airy).
• Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the surface of the dough using your fingertips; 'dimple' the dough ensuring that you don't press all the way through to the base.
• Cover with the tea towel and leave to rest in a warm place for a further 20 to 40 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Place the baking tray in the wood-fired oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden; this will vary depending on temperature so it's best to keep a close eye on the bread for your first attempt.
• Just prior to the bread coming out of the wood-fired oven, mix together 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk lightly until it becomes an opaque emulsion. Once removed, brush the bread with the emulsion (I use a pastry brush), which makes the bread surface moist.
• To finish, stud the bread with fresh sprigs of rosemary and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Serve warm with a small bowl of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix the yeast into one side of the flour, and the fine salt into the other side. Then mix everything together, this initial seperation prevents the salt from killing the yeast.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil and 350-400ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a slightly sticky dough (you may not need all the water). Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until your dough is soft and less sticky. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Oil a rectangle, shallow tin (25 x 35cm). Tip the dough onto the work surface, then stretch it to fill the tin. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 35-45 mins.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples. Mix together 1½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp water and the flaky salt and drizzle over the bread. Push sprigs of rosemary into the dimples in the dough.
• Bake for 20 mins until golden. Whilst the bread is still hot, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold with extra olive oil, if you like.

EASY ROSEMARY GARLIC FOCACCIA BREAD

Steps:

• In a cold medium skillet, combine olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until aromatic, but before the garlic browns. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir a few times then let sit for 5 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of flour and a 1/4 cup of infused garlic-olive oil mixture to the bowl with yeast and honey. Stir 3 to 4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour and salt. When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead 10 to 15 times until smooth.
• Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel and let rise for 1 hour. (It's best to let the dough rise in a warmer area of your kitchen).
• After 1 hour, heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Use two tablespoons of the remaining garlic-olive oil mixture to oil a 9-inch by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. (See above if you do not have this pan size).
• Transfer the dough to the baking sheet then press it down into the pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough then drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the garlic olive oil mixture. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes until it puffs slightly.
• Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool baked focaccia bread on a wire rack.

GARLIC AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl taking care not to let the salt and yeast touch.
• Add 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and slowly mix in the tepid water, adding a little at a time and incorporating by hand as you do so until all the dry ingredients are mixed to make a dough. You may need all the water, slightly more or less, depending on the make of flour you use so add a little at a time until you have a sticky but not runny dough. The ideal consistency should stick to your fingers whils still forming a ball shape.
• Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and knead for a good five minutes, making sure to work out any lumps or bumps. Add more flour if dough is still too sticky to knead.
• When is kneaded into a firm ball, place in bowl covered with a clean tea towel and leave to prove (rise) in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (about 2 hours). An airing cupboard is ideal. Make sure th bowl is large enoug for the dough to double in size!
• In a saucepan mix the crushed garlic, rosemary sprig (leaving a few leaves to garnish) and olive oil. Bring to the boil and then turn off the heat immediately and set aside until later, leaving the flavours to infuse.
• When the dough has doubled in size, turn out on to a floured surface, knead briefly and turn out into a well greased or lined flat shallow roasting tray, or flan dish. Ideally a flat roasting tray around 20cmx30cm is ideal but this works well in round dishes, so long as it is not too deep. Make sure to push and shape the bread the fit the dish and work into the corners.
• Then with your fingers push craters all over the dough so the surface is lumpy and bumpy.
• Brush all over the dough with the infused oil, getting into all the crevices, nooks and crannies. Be generous with the oil as it will give the bread the rich flavours and aromas.
• Leave the dough for another's half hour until risen to almost twice the size again. In the meantime preheat an oven to 180 degrees.
• After half an hour, sprinkle flakes of sea salt over the dough, and add any olives or sundried tomatoes as desired. Cook the bread in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.

FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Put the bowl in a warm, not hot or cool, place until the yeast is bubbling and aromatic, at least 15 minutes.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1/2 cup olive oil and the yeast mixture on low speed. Once the dough has come together, continue to knead for 5 to 6 minutes on a medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft. Give it a sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.
• Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface, then knead it by hand 1 or 2 times. Again, give it another sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.
• Coat the inside of the mixer bowl lightly with olive oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
• Coat a jelly roll pan with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. (Chef's Note: This may seem excessive, but focaccia is an oily crusted bread. This is why it is soooooooooo delicious!).
• Put the dough onto the jelly roll pan and begin pressing it out to fit the size of the pan. Turn the dough over to coat the other side with the olive oil. Continue to stretch the dough to fit the pan. As you are doing so, spread your fingers out and make finger holes all the way through the dough. (Chef's Note: Yes, this is strange. But when the dough rises again it will create the characteristic craggy looking focaccia. If you do not make the actual holes in the dough, the finished product will be very smooth.)
• Put the dough in the warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising a second time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Liberally sprinkle the top of the focaccia with some coarse sea salt and lightly drizzle a little oil on top. Bake the dough until the top of the loaf is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool before cutting and serving.
• Oh baby!

ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Let stand for a few minutes.
• In a mixer, combine the flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with the paddle attachment), drizzle in the olive oil until combined with the flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined and the dough comes together in a very sticky mass.
• Form the dough into a ball, drizzle over olive oil and toss to coat the dough. Then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.
• To make focaccia, remove half the dough from the bowl (leave the rest for another time) and place on a lightly floured surface. Place the chopped rosemary on top of the dough, then very gently knead it into the dough. (Don't over knead!) Roll into a large, thin oval. Place on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle more olive oil on top of the dough, then cover with plastic wrap. Put in a draft-free/warm place for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap (the dough will be puffy) and use your fingertips to press dimples all over the surface of the dough. Drizzle the surface with more olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake until the focaccia is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Cut into pieces with a pizza wheel or sharp knife. Serve immediately.