Focaccia for the Love of It - Longmeadow Farm

Submitted by Andi Longmeadow Farm

"Typically, at the end of a long Saturday, after the farm has been put to bed, I bake these little focaccia delights. The bread usually fills the empty pockets of hunger that have made themselves known during the long afternoon. Sometimes I prep the dough the night before, or quite often, just plop the bread and make it pretty quickly. We usually sit around the wood stove, and devour a couple of pieces with some nice warm tea, or a cold beer, depending on how much we broke on the farm during that afternoon. Either way, enjoy, have fun, and always eat well."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 5 1⁄4 cups unbleached bread flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 (2 1/4 teaspoon) package instant yeast
• 2 1⁄2 cups warm water
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• Toppings

• 1 dash crushed rosemary
• 1 dash crushed thyme
• coarse salt

directions

1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and water in the large bowl of KA mixer or using the dough cycle of bread machine.
2. If using bread machine let it go through dough cycle, and pick up from step 5. If using the KA mixer, use the paddle attachment (of KA), slowly mix until the ingredients form a ball about 30 seconds.
3. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium low for another 3 minutes.
4. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes and then mix on medium low for another 3 minutes, until relatively smooth. The dough will be very wet and sticky.
5. Put dough on board or counter dusted with a bit of flour.
6. Grasp the dough and stretch it to nearly twice its size. Fold it onto itself. Rotate 1/4 turn. Rotate and stretching the dough four times. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the dough. (and continue to knead a couple of times).
7. Coat a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon oil (large enough to hold the dough when it doubles in size), and put dough in turning it over once. (addendum: the oil is to prevent sticking when in bowl).
8. Wrap the dough well with plastic and let dough rise until doubled, or you can refrigerate overnight for a slow rise.
9. Cover a 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment and coat the surface with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Slide dough out of bowl, guiding it out of the bowl, onto the center of the pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on top of the dough. Using your fingertips dimple entire surface of dough while gently pushing dough down and out toward edges of pan. Don't be concerned if dough won't reach corners. If dough resists, let it rest for 20 minutes, then continue to dimple and stretch.
10. Preheat oven to 475°F Put the pan on a rack to let air circulate around it. Be sure surface of dough is coated with enough olive oil to prevent it from drying out as it rises to about 1-1/2 times its original size and swells to the rim of the pan.
11. Just before baking, sprinkle some sea salt over the dough. Put pan in the middle of the oven and reduce heat to 450°. Bake approximately 20 minutes, until golden brown on top and bottom. Remove focaccia from pan and parchment and set on rack to cool.
12. Brush last tablespoon of oil, add toppings.

Reviews

[Chrissy Addy]

I love this bread! I usually top it with sliced cherry tomatoes, tarragon, minced garlic, and Parmesan then put it under the broiler for a few minutes. Sometimes I'll go an extra step and saute the garlic and tarragon then add some onion and shredded chicken all topped with the Parmesan and tomatoes. It freezes well too. I've sent pre-topped bread to my grandmother's for her to freeze and reheat whenever she doesn't feel like cooking.

 

[Outta Here]

Delicious and very light texture. I used the bread machine method, and cut the recipe in half. I used a square baking pan to bake it in. Served with soup and salad. Going to make a panini with the leftover section. Made for Best of 2011 game.

 

[AcadiaTwo]

IT'S BEAUTIFUL! This too was my first attempt to make focaccia too like some of the other reviewers! I used my bread machine on the dough setting as suggested and then I began the instructions at no. 5. I used a pizza pan so therefore I didn't use the parchment for fear that it would curl and bake into the bread. I lubricated the pan very liberally and it was fairly easy to get it out although I know the parchment would have been a lot easier. The bread was also delicious tasting, and since it was cooked directly on the pan the bottom had a lovely crunch too. Super yummy! Next time I think I'll try baking some of the topping material too. I will be making this again and again! Made for Veg 'N Swap tag.

 

[Pamplemoussee]

My first ever successful focaccia. I'm very proud. It makes a lot of dough and overcovers a 13 x 18 baking sheet. The bread was thicker than I like, but still good.

 

[Acerast]

Delicious! My KA made short work of this and it rose and baked nicely. My DH declared this the best bread I've ever made (it must have been the richness of the olive oil). We've enjoyed it with soups, salad, split and made into sandwiches, toasted...it's versatile and great!! Thanks Andi of LMF - we'll make this again.