Last spring, my fiancé and I planted an herb garden and made a (ridiculous) deal: If we successfully kept our herbs alive, then that would be proof we were ready to get a puppy.
We planted rosemary and chives and mint and cilantro and tried our best to remember to water them twice a day. Our minimal efforts paid off. By mid summer, our herbs were thriving, to the point that we didn't know what to do with all of them. We started searching for recipes specifically with the intention of using up our herbs.
I will be keeping this Garlic Rosemary Herb Focaccia recipe handy for the crop of herbs I anticipate we will grow again this year. Unfortunately, since I made my focaccia in the dead of winter, I had to use dried rosemary and thyme as a topper, but I imagine this bread would be even more delicious with fresh herbs.
If you’re new to making bread, don’t let this recipe intimidate you! I never had made a yeasted bread before this focaccia, and it was very forgiving of my many mistakes.
I tried to use my stand mixer and dough hook to mix the dough, but it was too wet and wouldn’t come together well (which the recipe warned might happen). I kneaded it by hand and ended up adding much more flour — I would guess an extra half cup — than the recipe called for to achieve the correct texture. Once the dough formed into a smooth but not sticky ball, I placed it in a well-oiled bowl and left it on the floor of a bedroom next to a radiator.
I waited two hours before punching my dough and stretching it out over an extremely well-oiled baking sheet. By well-oiled, I mean the oil fully coated the sheet and was sloshing around.
My dough sat in the fridge between three and four hours, which seemed to me like a decent-enough compromise between 1 and 24 hours. I let it sit out for 20 minutes before I covered it with herbs and more oil. My focaccia only needed 20 minutes in the oven to be perfectly golden brown on the top, crispy on the bottom and soft in the middle.
I was so pleased with how this bread turned out, and it smelled incredible while it was in the oven. Next time I bake it, I might try a more simple topping — maybe just sea salt and olive oil — to make it more versatile.
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RECIPE
Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (between 100-110°F)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast (slightly less than 1 standard packet)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for hands
Topping & Pan:
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or more as needed, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, and rosemary (or 2 tablespoons dried herbs)
Sprinkle of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Prepare the dough: Whisk half of the water (1 cup), 2 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
2. Add the remaining water, olive oil, salt and 1 cup flour. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds, then add 3 and 1/2 cups more flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. If the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add the last 1/2 cup of flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes. The dough can be a little too heavy for a mixer to knead it, but you certainly can use the mixer on low speed instead. If the dough is too sticky as you knead, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough should still feel a little soft but shouldn’t stick to your hands. Poke it with your finger — if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
3. Let the dough rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with a teaspoon of oil or some nonstick spray — just use the same bowl you used for the dough. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours or until double in size. (Tip: For the warm environment on a particularly cold day, heat your oven to 150°F. Turn the oven off, place the dough inside, and keep the door slightly ajar. This will be a warm environment for your dough to rise. After about 30 minutes, close the oven door to trap the air inside with the rising dough. When it’s doubled in size, remove from the oven.)
4. Prepare the pan: Generously grease a 12-inch-by-17-inch baking pan (with at least 1 inch tall sides) with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This is the base layer of the bread, so be generous with the oil. A pastry brush is helpful to spread it.
5. Flatten the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Place on the oiled baking pan, then stretch and flatten the dough to fit the pan. Don’t tear the dough. If it’s shrinking (mine always does), cover it with a clean towel and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before continuing. This lets the gluten settle, and it’s much easier to shape after that.
6. Let the dough rest: Cover the dough tightly and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. The longer it rests, the better the flavor. I recommend at least 12 hours.
7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature as you preheat the oven and prepare the toppings. Keep it covered. It may rise a little during this time, but not much.
8. Preheat oven to 450°F. Allow it to heat for at least 10-15 minutes so every inch of the oven is very hot.
9. Prepare the toppings: Whisk the 3 remaining tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic and herbs. Set aside.
10. Using your fingers, dimple the dough all over the surface. Drizzle on the olive oil topping and use your hands or a pastry brush to spread it all over the top. Add a little more olive oil if needed so the dough is completely covered. (This creates the crisp crust!) Sprinkle with a little coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
11. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until lightly browned on top. If desired, broil on high for the last minute to really brown the top.
12. Cut and serve hot or let it come to room temperature before slicing and serving. Focaccia tastes wonderful warm or at room temperature. Cover leftover focaccia tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. You also can freeze the baked and cooled focaccia for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. To reheat the slices, you can use the microwave or bake in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
SOURCE: sallysbakingaddiction.com
The Link LonkApril 21, 2021 at 05:30PM
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Test Kitchen: Garlic Rosemary Herb Focaccia - Canton Repository
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