Focaccia: A simple recipe for a wonderful Italian bread

The mention of focaccia is sure to transport you to a world of culinary delights. This simple but extremely tasty Italian dish has the power to delight all bread lovers. Its famous taste, versatility and ease of preparation are the reasons why focaccia has become a favourite all over the world. In this article, we''ll explore everything you need to know about focaccia - from its roots and basic preparation steps, to the different flavours you can try.

The origins of focaccia

Focaccia has a long history, dating all the way back to ancient Rome. The Romans were already baking flatbreads, which were the forerunners of today''s focaccia. Over the centuries, this simple bread evolved and changed before entering modern Italian cuisine. A focaccia is essentially a simple pie made with flour, oil, water and salt. Despite its simplicity, it has the wonderful ability to adapt to different tastes and additives.

Key steps in the preparation of focaccia

Choosing the flour: Choosing the right flour is crucial for making focaccia. Bread flour is best as it has a high protein content, which contributes to a better structure and elasticity of the dough.

Yeast: In this recipe we will use dry yeast. Dry yeast is easier to store and easy to use. It needs to be activated in warm water with sugar before use to make sure it is still active.

Mixing and kneading the dough: Once all the ingredients are mixed, it is important to knead the dough well. This allows the gluten in the flour to activate, giving the focaccia its characteristic softness and loose texture.

Rising: Once the dough is ready, it needs time to rise. The rising process allows the yeast to develop bubbles which contribute to the airy structure of the focaccia. The dough should rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size.

Shaping and preparation for baking: After the first rise, roll out the dough and transfer it to a baking tray. It is important to puncture the dough with your hands to prevent large air bubbles from forming during baking.

Second rising: Once the dough has been shaped and placed on the baking tray, let it rise again. This gives it extra softness and looseness.

Baking: The focaccia is baked in a hot oven. During baking, you can add additional ingredients such as herbs, olives or cheese to enhance the flavour.

Recipe for making focaccia with dry yeast

Ingredients:

• 500 g flour
• 1 packet of dry yeast (7 g)
• 10 g salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 300 ml of warm water
• 60 ml BAM extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt for sprinkling

Instructions:

1. To prepare the yeast: In a small bowl, mix the dry yeast, sugar and 100 ml of warm water. Leave to stand for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is activated and begins to foam.

2. Preparing the dough: In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the activated yeast, the remaining water and the olive oil. Mix the ingredients until they start to come together to form a dough.

3. Kneading.

4. First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a cloth. Leave in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

5. Shaping the focaccia: After the first rise, carefully transfer the dough to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Roll it out to a thickness of about 1-2 cm. Use your fingers to make indentations on the surface of the dough.

6. Second rising: Cover the dough and leave to rise for another 20-30 minutes.

7. Baking: Preheat the oven to 220°C. Cover the foil with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary and coarse salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

After baking, leave the focaccia to cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Different versions of focaccia

Focaccia is a very flexible dish, which means you can experiment with different additions and flavours.

• Add chopped olives and freshgarlic to the dough before baking. This version is great for those who like stronger flavours.
• Focaccia with parmesan and herbs: After baking, sprinkle the focaccia with grated parmesan and fresh herbs such as basil or thyme. This version is excellent as a side dish with soup or salad.
• Focaccia with sunflower seeds and onions: Add sunflower seeds and thinly sliced onion on top of the dough before baking. This version is crunchy and full of flavour.
• Focaccia with rosemary and sea salt: A classic version where rosemary and sea salt are sprinkled on top of the dough to create a pleasant combination of flavours.

Focacha is therefore one of those dishes that combines simplicity and flavour. This makes it ideal for many occasions - from everyday meals to special events. Don''t forget that focaccia is very flexible and can be enriched with different flavours and additions to suit your taste.