What is Focaccia?

Focaccia (pronounced foh-kaht-tchah) is a flat Italian bread, seasoned with herbs and vegetables. This flat bread can easily resemble a pizza depending on what toppings you choose.

This bread is soft and chewy, with a crispy crust. It’s defining characteristics are the olive oil infused flavor and deliciously crisp exterior. Olive oil enrobes the entire crust, seeping into the interior as the bread bakes making it super soft and moist inside.

Herbs and garlic are popular toppings, but you can add anything like olives, tomatoes, sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, pesto, caramelized onions, and more.

How to make Herb Olive Focaccia?

Infuse Olive Oil – To begin with this recipe calls for infusing the olive oil with Herbs and Garlic. This infused olive oil adds great flavour to the bread.
Focaccia Dough – Knead the dough as per instructions using half of the infused olive oil and let it rise.
Shaping the bread – Once the bread has risen, spread the bread dough in the baking pan and leave it for a second rise. Pour the remaining infused oil kept aside earlier over the evenly spread dough and make shallow indentations all over the dough with your fingertips, letting the oil pool in indentations.
Top with olives – Top the bread with sliced olives before baking. You could also add anything like tomatoes, sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, pesto, caramelized onions, and more. I like it keep mine simple with just olives and herbs. Bake!

Storing

Store this Herb Olive Focaccia wrapped in plastic at room temperature or in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Like this recipe? Try some of my other bread recipes –

Herb Olive Focaccia

Recipe by thecrumbstoriesCourse: BreadsCuisine: Italian

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Baking Time

minutes

Resting Time

minutes

The homemade bread is chewy and soft in the center. Made with herb infused olive oil taking this herb olive focaccia to the next level.

Ingredients

300 g All- Purpose Flour/ Bread Flour
235 ml Warm Water
2 1/4 tsp Dry Yeast
1/4 tsp Honey
100 ml Olive Oil
2-3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1 tbsp Thyme
1 tbsp Rosemary
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Salt
Green and Black olives, to top

Directions

Infuse Oil
In a small pan, infuse the olive oil with rosemary, thyme and garlic. Heat up the oil, once hot add the herbs and garlic and remove the pan from the flame. Let the oil sit till it cools down.
Dough
Stir together half of the lukewarm (105°F/40°C to 115°F/46°C) water, honey and yeast in bowl of mixer and let stand for about 5 minutes.
In a stand mixer bowl, add the flour, salt, pepper, yeast mixture and half of the infused olive oil, reserve the other half for later.
With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough adding warm water gradually, till you get a soft dough, for about 5-7 minutes. If kneading by hand knead till the dough is soft, this should take about 15 minutes. It will be slightly sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and coat the dough with oil. Let rise, covered with plastic wrap, at warm room temperature for 1-2 hours or until doubled.
Once doubled, generously oil a 20 cm square pan and press the dough evenly into the baking pan. Let dough rise, covered completely with a kitchen towel, for about an hour or until doubled.
Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.
Pour the remaining infused oil kept aside earlier over the evenly spread dough.
Make shallow indentations all over dough with your fingertips, letting the oil pool in indentations.
Top with sliced green and black olives.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 mins, until golden brown.
Immediately invert a rack over pan and flip focaccia onto rack, then turn right side up. Serve warm or at room temperature.