Authentic Italian Focaccia Recipe
Our authentic Italian focaccia comes straight from an Italian friend when we lived in Europe. That is why it is quite possibly the best focaccia bread you’ll ever taste. Light and airy with a savory topping, this focaccia is perfect on its own, as a base for pizza, or to hold your favorite sandwich toppings.
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Servings:
flatbreadCalories:
Ingredients
- For the dough
- Lukewarm water 1 cup
- All purpose flour 2 and ⅓ cup
- Sugar 1 tsp
- Yeast ½ tsp
- Salt ½ tsp
- Olive oil 2 tbsp
- For the topping
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon lukewarm water
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary leaves
- coarse salt flakes
Instructions
- First, in a bowl, add the yeast and lukewarm water and allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes or until the mixture is frothy. If you don’t see bubbles or froth, discard the mixture and start all over again with fresh yeast.
- You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook or knead the dough by hand. Add the activated yeast, flour, olive oil, sugar and salt to the mixer bowl and then give it a stir with a fork.
- Start kneading at a low speed with the dough hook. Once all the flour has incorporated, increase the speed and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough comes around together around the dough hook. It should appear elastic and smooth.
- Next, place the dough in a large greased glass bowl and then cover the bowl with a cloth. Place the glass bowl over a trivet in the Instant Pot and then use the yogurt setting to proof the dough for 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with olive oil and then allow the dough to gently come out of the bowl into the pan. Turn the dough around to coat it with olive oil before using the pressure of your fingers to pat it down to ensure it is even and fills the pan fully.
- Next cover the pan with a kitchen towel and allow it to rise for another 45 minutes to an hour until the dough has doubled again.
- !Prepare Topping and Bake
- While it rises, prepare the topping by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl and setting it aside.
- Once the dough doubles in size, pour the topping on top. Once the dough is getting closer to double preheat the oven at 450 F.
- Grease your hands and using your fingers press down the dough to imprint dimples on the focaccia.
- Sprinkle with coarse salt flakes and then place the pan in the bottom rack of the oven and bake at 450 F for 15 to 20 minutes,
- Once ready, brush the focaccia with olive oil and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Make sure the water is lukewarm or the yeast will not activate properly.Test the yeast first by adding to a bowl with the lukewarm water. If it doesn’t froth, toss the mixture and use a different packet or new yeast.When working with yeast for the focaccia bread, make sure to use lukewarm water. Too hot will kill the yeast and too cold will not allow it to activate.If you want the jiggly bubbles in your Focaccia, poof it overnight in the refrigerator after poofing it once in the Instant Pot. This step is optional. Depending on how much time I have sometimes I poof it overnight, sometimes I don't.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g
