Homemade Garlic and Herb Focaccia
Soft and chewy on the inside and crunchy and salty on the outside, this homemade focaccia recipe is one I’ve been making for years, tweaking it here and there a bit. I’ve come to learn that bread flour is best, there’s no need for the higher price of extra virgin olive oil, and being a bit stingy on your yeast amount pays off in the texture department. Also, crunchy sea salt is life.
Ingredients
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp (approx.) regular olive oil, divided
- 1 TBSP kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling/seasoning the top
- 4.5– 5 cups bread flour, plus more for hands(you can sub all-purpose, you just might need a little more)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 to 4 TBSP chopped fresh herbs such (parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme) OR 2 TSP dried herbs
- Optional: crunchy sea salt for finishing
Instructions
1. Whisk 1 cup of the water, 2 tsp sugar, and 2 tsp yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Let this bloom/rest for 5 minutes.
2. Now, add the rest of the warm water,1/4 cup of the olive oil, 1 TBSP of salt, and 1 cup bread flour. Mix on low just until the flour is no longer dry and then add 3.5 more cups flour. Mix on low for about 2 minutes. If the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add the last 1/2 cup of bread flour.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough for a few minutes. If it’s too sticky still, just add a bit more flour until it’s workable. Flouring your hands also helps. If it bounces back when you poke it, it’s ready.
4. Clean out the bowl you used to make the dough, and lightly grease it with a little bit of oil. Put the dough in the bowl, coat all sides in a little oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and let the dough to rise in a warm-ish environment for 2-3 hours or until it has doubled in size.
5. Coat a baking sheet (12” X 17”) with some olive oil; 2 to 3 TBSP should do.
6. When the dough is ready, punch it down and put it on your pan. Stretch and push your dough until it fills the pan, being careful not to rip it. If it’s hard to work or seems to be pulling back on you, allow the glutens to rest by covering it and leaving it alone for 10 minutes before working it again.
7. Cover the dough tightly and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. The longer it sits, the better it gets – up to 12 hours is great.
8. When you’re ready to bake it, take the dough out of the fridge and, keeping it covered, let it come up to room temp.
9. Preheat your oven to oven to 425°F.
10.Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil with the minced garlic and herbs.
11.With the tips of your fingers, create lots of little dimples all over the surface of your dough. Drizzle the garlic oil all over the top and spread it out as evenly as you can. Sprinkle with a little extra salt.
12. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or just until your focaccia is a light golden brown. Serve right away, or cool completely, cover and store at room temperature for two days or in your fridge for about 5 days.
Notes
NOTE:To create a warm rising environment for your dough, set your oven on its warm setting, allow it to get to temperature, and the turn it off. Place the dough inside, and keep the door slightly ajar. After about 30 minutes, close the oven door to keep the air inside.