Basic Rosemary Focaccia Bread
Rosemary perfumed crusty bread dusted with pink salt flakes
Posted By Savita
I love Italian style breads, warm freshly baked, dusted with pink salt flakes, dipped in olive oil, herbs, and balsamic dipping sauce... Yum! Isn't it? (and I am enjoying a slice right now while posting this recipe).
I have to admit that making bread at home is very satisfying experience and I often try various recipes to bake breads close to what we get in bakeries or Italian eateries. After many tries, now whenever I make Focaccia, we often skip to buy bread from bakery.
So I thought, now it is worth to share the recipe with you all.
You know, we were on meat-free diet whole last month and I could not bake many muffins or cakes..... though I added few egg-less recipe feathers to my ChefDeHome cap.
What I enjoyed the MOST during meat-less days was making breads! All sorts of egg-less bread using basic bread recipes (which I have tested and perfected over time) and my twisted spin. :)
Like this recipe is basic focaccia which you can use to make all sorts of focaccia variations. I will post’em one by one but once you bake this soft and crusty focaccia, you will want to try all sorts of crazy combinations yourself.
Like, my personal favorite these days are – cherry tomato focaccia, onion focaccia, and especially Jalapeno focaccia, Scrumptious!!
I recommend you try this recipe coming weekend. And then come back to check other variations soon! :)
Friends, there is some oomph in homemade bread which can’t happen in store breads and I promise you will feel the oomph when you bake and enjoy it with family. I shall wait to hear the stories, enjoy!!!
Ingredients
- 2 & 1/2 tsp Instant Dry Yeast (one packet of 1/4 oz)
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil (extra for brushing and oiling the bowl)
- 1 tbsp Rosemary (plus extra for spreading on top - preferably fresh rosemary)
- 3 Cup All-Purpose Flour (about 3 cups (I used 2 cups and 14 tbsp which is 2 tbsp less than 3 cups))
- 1 & 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 & 1/2 Cup Water (lukewarm water)
- 1 tsp Salt (Pink Salt Flakes to sprinkle over the risen dough.)
Directions
-
1. Spread yeast and 1 pinch sugar in ½ cup lukewarm water and let it foam up for 10 minutes stir once in between. In a mixer with dough hook attached, add olive oil, chopped rosemary, remaining 1 cup lukewarm water, yeast mixture, salt and sugar. -
2. Add 2 cups flour. Knead till sticky dough forms. Now add ¼ cup flour at a time till dough comes together and make slightly sticky ball (about 5 minutes) At this stage knead for additional 4-5 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, turn upside down, so that dough is completely covered with oil and leave covered for 20 minutes. -
3. Oil a rimmed baking sheet, transfer the dough to sheet and with oiled hands press it gently to fit in rimmed sheets. Cover with oiled plastic sheet or kitchen towel and leave to rise (till it doubles in size) in warm dark place – about 1 and ½ hour. Additional Notes:
You can also freeze the dough at this point to bake later. -
4. Set the oven to preheat at 425 F. Remove plastic sheet or kitchen towel from risen dough, make indents with your finger all over the dough and sprinkle with 1-2 tbsp rosemary and brush with 1 tbsp of oil. Bake in middle rack at 425 F temperatures for 20-25 minutes till bread leaves side of rimmed sheet and is slightly golden on the top. Let cool down for 10 minutes then shift to wire rack for complete cooling. -
5. Slice, sprinkle some coarse pink salt flakes and serve with your choice of soup or salad.
Savita's Recipe Notes:
Please note that prep and cook time below does not include idle time gone in rising the dough which will be about 2 hrs in total.© Chef De Home. Post content including video and photos are copyright protected.