KS Quotient
Easy: Few ingredients, easily mixed. Minimal hand-shaping.
The name focaccia comes from the Latin focus, meaning "hearth," and this amazingly crusty flatbread was prepared long before modern-day ovens came on the scene. Especially in Italy, some versions are still baked on flat stones or tiles placed on coals, but for those without a hearth, a sheet pan set near the bottom of a hot, hot oven will do very well.
Puffy with hundreds of air pockets, crispy-chewy, and amazingly fragrant, focaccia makes the absolute most of simple ingredients like a little olive oil, coarse salt, and fresh rosemary. Don't even consider using the dried herb: Not only would its coarse, stick-like texture be intrusive, but during rehydration, it would draw too much moisture from the dough and discourage the formation of the gas bubbles essential for its enticing texture. This focaccia is so addictive, my husband and I often devour half a pan even before it has had time to cool. (I tell myself it's okay because we're eating mostly air!)
Yield: 12 to 15 servings
2¾ cups (13.75 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary needles (remove the stems), chopped fairly fine
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast
1 1/3 cups plus ½ teaspoon ice water, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
¾ teaspoon sea salt or other coarse crystal salt
First Rise In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, rosemary, table salt, and yeast. Vigorously stir in the water, scraping down the bowl and mixing until the dough is thoroughly blended. Vigorously stir in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. If the mixture is too dry to blend together, stir in just enough more ice water to facilitate mixing, but don't over-moisten, as the dough should be slightly stiff. If too wet, stir in enough more flour to firm it slightly. Evenly brush the top lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours. If convenient, vigorously stir the dough partway through the rise.
Second Rise Brush a 15 x 10 x 1-inch (or similar) baking pan with olive oil, then line the pan with baking parchment. Brush the parchment with olive oil. Using a well-oiled rubber spatula, turn the dough out onto the pan; try not to deflate it any more than necessary. Drizzle the dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. With well-oiled hands, lightly pat and press out the dough until it is evenly thick and extends to within 1 inch of the edges all around. Tent the pan with nonstick spray—coated plastic wrap.
Let Rise Using Either of These Methods For a 2 ½- to 3½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough has almost doubled from the deflated size. (If the pan has a 1-inch rim, the dough should be ¼ inch below it.) Just before baking, with oiled fingertips, make deep indentations, or dimples, all over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt.
Baking Preliminaries 20 minutes before baking time, place a rack in lowest position in the oven; preheat to 500°F. Place the broiler pan on the oven floor.
Baking Reduce the temperature to 475°F. Add a cup of ice water to the broiler pan, being careful of splattering and steam. Bake on the lowest rack for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown, turning the pan from front to back for even browning about halfway through. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more (or until the center registers 209° to 212°F on an instant-read thermometer) to be sure the center is done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using wide spatulas, lift the bread from the pan onto the rack to cool, or onto a cutting board to cut into servings.
TipIf you don't have fresh rosemary, try the fennel seed and oregano or thyme focaccia variation below. Don't add any more dried oregano or thyme than called for, because these herbs both have yeast-inhibiting chemicals that, in quantity, can discourage rising.
Serving and StoringFocaccia is best when fresh. Cut into rectangles and serve warm or at room temperature. Drizzle with additional olive oil or provide more as a dipping sauce, if desired. To maintain crispness, keep, draped with a tea towel, at cool room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It may be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months, but should be crisped in a preheated 400°F oven before serving.
Prepare the dough exactly as for the rosemary version except omit the rosemary. When garnishing with the sea salt just before baking, also sprinkle the dough evenly with ½ teaspoon fennel seeds and ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves or dried thyme leaves.