Focaccia Bread

By nekmor

Lightly spiced and perfect for a wine tasting or to compliment a meal

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (118 ml) olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (substitute 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup (237 ml) warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)
• 1/4 teaspoon honey
• 2 1/2 (350 grams) cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Step 1

In a cold medium saucepan or skillet, combine olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary and the black pepper. Place pan over low heat then cook, stirring occasionally 5 to 10 minutes or until aromatic, but before the garlic browns. Set aside.

In a large bowl (or the bowl of your mixer), combine the warm water, yeast and honey. Stir a few times then let sit for 5 minutes. Now, add 1 cup of the flour and a 1/4 cup of the infused garlic-olive oil mixture. Stir 3 to 4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and the salt. Once the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board (or in your mixing bowl with dough hook) and knead the dough 10 to 15 times until smooth. Transfer to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel and let rise for 1 hour. (It’s best to let the dough rise in a warmer area of your kitchen).

After 1 hour, heat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Then, use two tablespoons of the remaining garlic-olive oil mixture to oil a 9-inch by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet.

Transfer dough to the baking sheet then press it down into the pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough then drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the garlic-olive oil mixture. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes until it puffs slightly then bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer focaccia bread to a cooling rack and cool.