I’ve been in a focaccia state of mind lately. My last post for Caramel Pecan Focaccia made me crave a savory version and this one just hit the spot. Many years ago I was lucky enough to enjoy the best focaccia I have ever had in a place in Baltimore called Stonemill Bakery. The flavor was a simple, but traditional rosemary with coarse salt…but it was the texture that I fell in love with…it was everything that focaccia should be, pillowy soft, thick and airy and full of flavor. This was so delicious and pliable that whatever leftovers made it back home where enjoyed later that evening rolled around some deliciously grilled chicken.
After eating this, I could not wait to get into the kitchen to try and replicate it. After several delicious but not perfect incarnations I discovered a few things…this type of focaccia is achieved with a finely milled, unbleached all purpose flour. If you want something a little chewier, you will have to switch to a high quality bread flour. Another few important tips is that it requires a little more yeast and oil than other breads. If you are planning to make this, forget your waistline for the short term and simply go with this delicious experience…even if you only make it once, it is something you really should try.
Over the years, I have experimented with different flavors and this recipe is a great base that will work with just about anything you come up with. With this one I went a little crazy but it was such a delicious flavor combination that I will be making this again. So put on your apron and get your wish list of flavors together, it’s time to make the BEST focaccia you will ever put in your mouth!
Kitchen Sink Focaccia
22 oz unbleached all purpose flour
1-1/2 tablespoons rapid rise yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1¾ cup warm water
½ cup olive oil for dough
8 tablespoons olive oil for bowls, baking dish and drizzling
1 cup sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
8-12 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
Pretzel salt, coarse salt or finely shred parmesan cheese for the top
NOTE: If you prefer a chewier product switch to high gluten flour. For this application, the all purpose flour yielded a very tender dough and was perfect for this recipe. Use a finely milled product like King Arthur or White Lilly for best results.
First you need to prepare the items that are going to go in the focaccia so that they have time to cool before you add it to the dough. Add the ½ cup of oil to a small pot and heat on high heat. In the meantime, peel all of the garlic cloves. Once the oil has heated up, turn off the heat and add all of the garlic cloves. They will sizzle but not take on too much color since you have now turned the heat off. Stir them every now and then if you have to, but allow them to soften and sweeten in the oil in addition to imparting their lovely flavor. Next finely chop the sundried tomatoes, rosemary and capers and set aside. Once the garlic has stopped cooking and has softened use a fork and mash each clove or you can add this to a small food processor. Once the garlic has been mashed add all of the chopped items and then set this aside.
Next, add the yeast to the bowl of your stand mixer, then add the water and whisk to completely dissolve. After dissolving the yeast, add the oil with all of the chopped items, the flour, salt and sugar and begin mixing the ingredients with a paddle. If the dough is too sticky add a little more flour until it begins to come away from the sides. Once the dough has formed into a ball, switch to the dough hook and continue to mix for about 5 minutes until elastic, if you don’t have a dough hook just continue mixing with the paddle. After the required mixing time, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and complete the kneading by hand, about another 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Grease a large stoneware bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil and add the kneaded dough into the bowl. Roll it around so that the entire ball is coated with a little oil. Cover this and allow it to double in size, about 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Once the dough has risen, add another 2 tablespoons of oil to a half sheet pan, and using your hand spread it all over the bottom and sides. Gently deflate the dough and place it into the half sheet pan. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil on top of the dough and spread this all over the surface, this will help the dough stretch out. Use your fingers to stretch out the dough until it has filled the entire pan. Begin to create dimples in the dough but be careful not to poke holes completely through the dough. If you find that the dough is pulling back and does not stay stretched out, cover with a piece of plastic and allow it to rest for a few minutes.
Once you have formed your dough, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for another 10 minutes. Once it has rested top with the coarse salt or shredded parmesan cheese. Use your fingers to poke indentations into the dough which will create little crevices. Bake this at 425°F until golden brown, approximately 10-12 minutes. Once the bread is ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, then drizzle the entire surface with the last 2 tablespoons of oil before serving.
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