Focaccia

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What is Focaccia?

Focaccia (pronounced as fuh-kaa-chuh) is a rustic Italian bread that’s tall, light and fluffy. It’s got a crisp crust, airy soft centre, and a mouth watering olive, jalapeno and rosemary topping.

Focaccia is considered as a flatbread with a texture similar to pizza dough. It’s baked with a generous amount of olive oil which creates a crisp exterior. It’s easily made by hand, or even easier using a stand mixer. It’s naturally vegan and you can top it with any ingredient you like!

Unlike other bread recipes, focaccia is a perfect bread recipe for beginners as it involves no kneading and no fancy techniques. It’s made with yeast dough that rises twice, once before it’s shaped and then again once it’s been shaped. To give the focaccia it’s signature appearance, little indentations are formed all over the dough (known as dimples), which hold tiny pools of olive oil that soak into the bread as it bakes and ensures an even cooking.

What other toppings can I use?

There are so many combinations that can be used as toppings. Apart from olive and jalapeno, confit garlic is great, as well as rosemary with cherry tomatoes, jalapeno and cheese or even caramelised onions.

What can I eat the Focaccia with?

Focaccia can be served with a number of different dishes including creamy pasta, tomato soup, on its own, with some olive oil or even as a sandwich! You can also bake leftover focaccia to make croutons for your salad.

Why is my dough wet and sticky?

Your dough is expected to be wet and sticky in the beginning. However, once the dough has rested and the gluten begins to form, it will become less wet and sticky. If your dough is dry at the beginning, add more water until it’s wet and sticky. Watch the video recipe for the exact texture of the dough in different stages of the recipe.

Can I use any type of yeast for this recipe?

This recipe uses fast action/instant yeast instead of active dry yeast. Hence, the dough does not need to be left to rise overnight. However, if you are using active dry yeast, you will need to modify the recipe, including the amount of yeast required. Instead of the salt, the yeast would need to be dissolved in the water. Furthermore, the dough would need to be left to rise for more than an hour, possibly overnight.

Why has my dough not doubled in size?

There could be many reasons for this. However, the most common ones would be: inaccurate flour/water measurements, water too hot/cold, or use of active dry yeast instead of fast action/instant yeast. Make sure to follow the recipe step by step and measure all ingredients to ensure a perfect focaccia.

Is it important to create dimples?

Yes, the dimples are a very important part of the recipe. They help in giving the focaccia an even rise, ensure the olive oil soaks into the bread while baking and also gives the focaccia it’s signature appearance.

Can I use a square baking tray instead?

Absolutely! I used a 32 cm x 22 cm tray (4.5 cm height) however, you can use any pan you’d like, including a cast iron skillet too. Make sure to half the recipe if you are using a smaller tray. However, make sure that whichever pan you are using, it has a height of a couple of centimetres. The focaccia dough will rise further in the oven, so you need to make sure your baking tray is tall enough to be able to support the bread.

Can I make the focaccia in advance and store it?

You absolutely can! After baking the focaccia, ensure it cools down before storing it in the fridge. It will last you a couple of days in the fridge and over a month in the freezer. Ensure to wrap the focaccia in a couple layers of cling wrap and freeze it the same day it’s made to preserve its taste and texture.

Any substitute for the ingredients mentioned?

If you don’t have access to flaky sea salt, you can substitute it with regular sea salt. However, flaky sea salt works better.
You can use dried herbs instead of fresh herbs too. However, when using dried herbs, I recommend incorporating them into the dough instead of sprinkling them on top as they would burn in the oven.
If you absolutely don’t have access to regular or extra virgin olive oil, you can use vegetable or sunflower oil instead. However, the taste won’t be as good as using olive oil.

Any cooking tips for this recipe?

When making dimples, poke your fingertips into the dough going straight down in a quick motion like playing the piano.
If your dough is very moist and sticky, dip your hands in water to prevent it from sticking to your hands.
Be generous with the olive oil! It helps in creating the crispy exterior texture as well as aids in enhancing the flavour of the bread.
Don’t skip on the flaky sea salt. It adds more flavour to your focaccia. Although flaky sea salt works better, you can substitute it for regular sea salt if you don’t have access to it.
Ensure you use gloves when handling jalapenos as you don’t want your hands to burn.
Although you can make the dough by hand, you can also use a stand mixer to help you. A couple of minutes on the mixer should be enough to create a wet and sticky dough.