Easy Focaccia bread recipe with 2 topping ideas
Classic Italian Focaccia is an olive oil infused flat bread. This easy Focaccia bread recipe will help you enjoy it more often. The bread goes really well with pasta style dishes turning everyday meals into feasts. This delicious bread is full of the aromas and flavours of the Mediterranean and is guaranteed to turn any meal into a feast.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups strong white bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tsps easy blend yeast
- 7 1/2 fl oz warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Tomato, Olive and herb topping
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2/3 cup passata
- 10 black olives pitted (de-stoned)
- 1 tablespoon capers in brine drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes adjust to personal taste
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary 1/2 tbsp of dried rosemary
Classic Garlic and Rosemary Topping
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 3 fresh rosemary sprigs - chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons of dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- sprinkle of sea salt to finish
Instructions
- Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the yeast. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and the water. Add the salt and combine with a wooden spoon.
- Once the dough has come together and all the flour has been incorporated turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it. Knead the dough for between 5 and 10 minutes.
- The dough should now be smooth and elastic (quite stretchy). If it is really sticky add a little more flour and knead it again.
- Shape the dough into a nice round shape and put it back into the bowl. Brush a little olive oil on the top. (This is to stop it forming a crust.) Cover it with cling film and leave it to rise for around an hour.
- Cover a baking tray with baking parchment or oil the tray. place the dough on the tray and, using your hands stretch the dough out into a rough oval shape. The dough needs to be between 2 and 3 mm in thickness.
- Brush the dough with a little more oil, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise for 30-40 minutes until it has doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 430F/220C/200 C Fan/Gas 7.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, gently make indentations with your fingers. You may use the handle of a wooden spoon if you don't like the sensation of doing that.
- Add your chosen topping.
Tomato, olive and herb topping
- Spread the tomato (passata) over the top of the dimpled dough, leaving the edge tomato free. Distribute the olives evenly on top along with the capers (if using).
- Sprinkle with oregano, rosemary and chilli flakes. Drizzle over the 2 tablespoons of Olive oil
- Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. It is done when it's a golden brown colour.
- Slide onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool a little. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and serve warm.
Classic Rosemary and Garlic topping
- In a small bowl add the chopped garlic and rosemary and leave to marinade for around 15 minutes.
- Spread the topping over the dimpled dough making sure that everything is evenly distributed. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. It is done when it a golden brown colour.
- Slide onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool a little. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and a little more olive oil (if you wish) and serve warm.
Notes
Nutritional Information is computer generated and is intended as a guideline only.
This is suitable for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Note: Be careful when taking this bread out of the oven. If the oil hasn't all been absorbed by the bread as it cooks you need to be wary of scalding yourself.
Passata: If you don't have this then it works perfectly well if you push a tin of tomatoes through a sieve and use that.
Storing this bread: This bread is best eaten fresh but will last for 2-3 days. Wrap it loosely in tin foil and warm it in a hot oven for around 10 minutes. This will make it delicious once again.
This bread freezes well without the topping. Fully defrost, add your favourite topping, wrap it loosely in tin foil. and bake in the oven for around 10 minutes. It is done when it is a beautiful golden brown colour.
It will last well for up to two months in the freezer.
Did you make this? Mention @thesimplerkitchen or tag #thesimplerkitchen!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 665mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 383IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
