Focaccia Bread

Focaccia bread is usually seasoned with olive oil and herbs. It is a very versatile bread and can be topped with onion, cheese and different kinds of meat or vegetables. You can eat is as an appetizer or a serve it with a steak, make a sandwich, or serve it with a soup to make a meal in itself. 

This time I made rosemary, oragano and onion focaccia, and I am already planning to make it with za'atar (Middle Eastern herb spice mix)!


You need:

All purpose flour/ Maida – Up tp 5 cups

Luke warm water – 1 2/3 cups
Rapid rise yeast – 1 packet (it is a little more than 2 tsp)

Sugar – 1 tsp

Salt – 2 1/2 tsp

Olive Oil – 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp ( to make herb infused oil for coating the top) + 1 tsp for coating the base of the pan

Rosemary – 1/2 tsp (Fresh or dried  chopped)

Oragano - 1/2 tsp (Fresh or dried chopped)

Onion – 1/4 of a small one (finely sliced)

Sea Salt/ Kosher Salt – to taste (can replace with regular salt)

1. In the food processor bowl add warm water, yeast and sugar. (You can use the regular chopping blade instead of bread making one, it works better for this one). If you don't want to use a food processor use a large mixing bowl to make the dough using hands. 
2. Cover and keep for 5-10 mins until foamy. Be careful not to use very warm/ hot water as it will kill the yeast. It should be just lukewarm.
3. Add Salt, olive oil and 4 cups of all purpose flour (more can be added as needed).
4. Pulse the food processor until the dough comes together. Run the food processor for 1 minute.
5. Add more flour, around 2 Tbsp at a time as needed until a very soft dough forms.
6. Knead dough on a floured work surface or large bowl for 1 minute or until a smooth ball forms. The dough should be very soft and very easily pliable. 
7. Generously drizzle olive oil to coat the bottom of a 15×10 inch baking pan.
8. Place dough ball in pan and press into the bottom into an even rectangular shape, almost 1 inch thickness. The spread out dough should be of even thickness all over.
9. Cover with a kitchen towel/ Cling wrap and keep in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours to rise. You can also pre-heat oven to 150 F and switch off and keep the pan inside the oven. 
10. After 1- 1.5 hours take out the tray and preheat the oven to 425F/218C.
11. With your finger or blunt end of a rolling pin, gently press on the dough. You will get a slight pit on the dough. Don't press too hard to make it too deep, just like a small puddle kind. Now make more such pits 1 inch apart from one other, all over the dough.
12. In a small bowl, mix 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil with rosemary, or any other herb of your choice and sliced onions.
13. Spread the oil mixture over the top of the risen dough using a brush. 
14. Arrange onions and herbs evenly over the top.
15. Bake the dough  for 20 mins at 425F/218C. Towards the end keep watching as each oven works differently. 
16. Enjoy with an olive oil + garlic + rosemary + oregano dip. (shown in picture)