½ kg flour for all use
350 ml water
3 teaspoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of fine salt
1 teaspoon of salt flakes or coarse salt
6 tbs of extra virgin olive oil KUKUZI
1 sachet of dry yeast
½ teaspoon of oregano
½ teaspoon of rosemary
Classic focaccia with olive oil and herbs
There is something magical in bread making I really like! The smell of yeast, how the dough expands, the transformation of a few simple materials into fragrant bread are the things that really attracted me.
I remember my grandmother at the village every Sunday baking the bread of the week in the wood stove. I remember getting tired kneading and being so proud when watching the warm loaves coming out of the stove.
Nowadays of course we get our bread from the bakeries of the neighborhood or even from the supermarket, but once in a while it is worth giving some time to make our own bread.
Today we will prepare classic Italian focaccia, a bread that is a little reminiscent of our own Lagana and is characterized by the olive oil and the coarse salt it contains. It is a delicious bread that accompanies every meal and because of its flatbed shape it is ideal for making sandwiches. I will give you the classic recipe but you can add other herbs, olives or a little grated cheese.
In a bowl, mix the water with the sugar and the yeast to dissolve. Let the mixture in a warm place for 10 minutes until it starts to foam.
Put in a large bowl the flour, fine salt, 2 tbs of olive oil, the mixture of yeast and stir with a mixer at moderate speed for ten minutes to make an elastic dough.
Grease lightly a large bowl, add the yeast, turn it to be well-oiled, then cover with wrapping film and leave it in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until it is double in volume.
Grease lightly a pan, knead the dough for a minute to deflate and then spread it in the pan. Cover and leave in a warm place for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, sprinkle the dough with the remaining olive oil, squeeze with your fingers a few points of the dough to make dimples, and sprinkle with salt flakes and herbs.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until you get a nice color. Let it cool down and enjoy in whatever way you want.
Good luck!