Posted By Joel on April 29, 2009

At home, we use Focaccia / Schiacciata so many different ways.  It easily finds a role at every meal of the day.  And focaccia is an easy, trouble free bread to make.

Try focaccia for breakfast, split horizontally with Brie cheese, or spread with Nutella or mascarpone.

For lunch, split horizontally with prosciutto, baby arugula, and a squeeze of lemon.

And focaccia is delicious with dinner, as part of a dinner appetizer or as an accompaniment to the main meal.

The photo at left shows what you’ll need to make your own focaccia at home.

The ingrediants / amounts:  500g of flour, 200 ml of warm water, 100 ml milk, 6 tsp of active dry yeast, 3 tbs olive oil, a bit of salt.

NOTE on the salt:  I usually don’t put salt in my bread; I sometimes use only a pinch for focaccia.  Use it - or not - whatever you like.

Instructions: Dissolve the yeast into the warm - not hot - water.  

I put a pinch of sugar in the water to help the yeast do their thing.  Let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy. Put the flour in a mixing bowl.

Mix in the warm water / yeast, and mix in the milk.  Mix it all together till it forms into a ball. Knead for 2 minutes or so on the counter, table or marble till the dough is smooth with an subtle elastic quality.  Shape it into a round ball and let it rise in a warm area for one hour.  If you’re place is drafty or cold, turn on the oven light, put the dough in there, and close the door. 

After an hour of rising:  put half of the oil on a baking pan, spread it out a bit.  Take the dough and, pressing with your fingers, shape it to fit the form of the pan, letting the oil work into the dough as you go.  Then, use your fingertips to make dimpled indentations on top of the dough. Pour the rest of the oil on top of the dough, spreading it, letting it pool in the indentations.

Allow the dough rise on the tray for another 30 minutes.

Preheat to the oven to 385 f / 195 c.  Bake for 20 minutes with the oven door left open a bit for ventilation.

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