Honestly one of the easiest doughs I have ever prepared, this foccacia bread is so incredibly delicious you will end up wanting both loaves. Make this a day ahead to allow time for it to rise perfectly. Adapted from The Café Sucre Farine, this goes great with soups and salads or just simply by itself.
TOTAL TIME (includes rise time): 1 DAY + 25 MINS
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 cups King Arthur Unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 cups warm tap water
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter for greasing pan
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Italian seasoning and fresh chopped rosemary
- pink himalayan sea salt, for topping
PREP:
- In a medium-large bowl, sift the flour then add salt and instant yeast. Whisk together. Add the warm water. Using a sturdy wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, mix until all of the flour is incorporated. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. I simply prefer to allow to rise overnight.
- Lightly butter two 9-inch cake pans. Line pans with parchment paper. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil into the center of each pan. Divide dough in half with a large spoon or rubber spatula and place one piece of dough in each pan, turning to coat with oil. Tuck edges of dough underneath to form a rough ball. Cover each pan tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough balls to rest for 2 hours. The dough should cover most of the pan.
BAKE:
- Preheat oven to 450˚F with a rack positioned in the center of the oven.
- Drizzle another tablespoon of oil over each round of dough. With oiled fingers, using both hands, press straight down and create deep dimples that go all the way through the dough. If necessary, gently stretch the dough as you dimple to allow the dough to fill the pan.
- Sprinkle tops with Italian seasoning and chopped rosemary and salt.
- Transfer the pans to the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 425˚F. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the tops are golden and the undersides are crisp. Remove pans from the oven. Gently remove bread rounds from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack.
- Serve warm or allow to cool completely then store in a large freezer bag. You can also put in a skillet for a crispier bread. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
FREEZE:
- To freeze, allow bread to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze. Thaw and enjoy at room temperature or warm for 10 minutes in a 350˚F oven.
