Focaccia bread

Diana Lott shared this and we were all drooling over it

Focaccia: Basic dough for Flatbreads or Loaves

from: No Need To Knead by Suzanne Dunaway

2 cups lukewarm water (85 to 95°F)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

4 cups unbleached flour

2 to 3 teaspoons salt

2 to 3 teaspoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (*I used dried)

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Measure the water into a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir until dissolved. Stir in 2 cups of flour and the salt and stir briskly until smooth, about 2 minutes. With a strong wooden spoon or one of those rare mixing spoons with a big hole in the middle, stir in the remaining 2 cups of flour for about 2 minutes longer, just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and the flour is incorporated. The dough will be fairly wet and tacky (sticky), but when it pulls away from the side of the bowl and forms a loose ball, you will know the dough has been stirred sufficiently. If it seems to sticky, stir in an additional ¼ to ½ cup of flour.

Same day method:  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 30 to 40 minutes. Proceed with the shaping instructions.  ( *I coat the plastic wrap with a little olive oil so it doesn’t stick to the dough.)

Overnight method: cover the bowl and let it refrigerate overnight. The dough will rise in the refrigerator and acquire flavor from the slower yeast action. Remove the dough 2 hours before shaping and let stand, covered, in a warm place. The dough will rise for a second time.  Proceed with the shaping instructions.

To shape into loaves: Preheat the oven to 500°F. Oil your pan. Pour the dough in to a large pan or divide it equally between two small pans by loosening the dough with a spatula and the carefully scraping it from the sides of the bowl, keeping the dough as inflated as possible. If you are using two pans, cut the dough off at the edge of the bowl with the spatula as it falls into each pan. The shape that the dough takes as it falls into the pan is fine. Brush the tops of the loaves with olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt and set aside for about 15 to 20 minutes to rise until doubled.

To bake loaves: place the bread in the preheated oven and reduce the temperature to 400 °F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until nicely browned and the loaf sounds hollow when you tapped with your finger. Remove loaf from pan a nd cool on a rack. (* I didn’t preheat the oven to 500°. I believe I set the oven at 425° and baked it for 20 minutes. Your oven may vary!)

Herbed Oil for Dipping Bread

Yield: ½ cup

Prep time: 0:05

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. kosher salt

¼ - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients, except oil, on a deep plate or bowl.
            (* we use about 1/2 tsp. of the herb mix per bowl/plate of oil for dipping)

Pour olive oil over.

Note: Serve with fresh-baked bread for dipping.

(*We also like to add a splash of balsamic vinegar onto the spices and olive oil mixture, delicious!)