Focaccia is making a comeback and why wouldn’t it? It’s so, so good! When I was growing up in the 90’s focaccia was huge and every café would serve it sandwich style, then it kind of fell off the radar. Well now it’s back but rather then serve focaccia as a sandwich, focaccia is becoming popular as a standalone dish or served as an antipasto (the way it should be).
So what is Focaccia? Its an Italian flat leavened bread, baked quickly in a hot oven usually with olive oil, rosemary and salt. The first records of focaccia in Italy date back to the 14th century!
At my local farmers market there is a focaccia lady who sells focaccia topped with various vegetables combos: There is potato and rosemary, grilled Mediterranean vegetables, olive and feta and of course the traditional rosemary and sea salt. They are all absolutely delicious but cost between $13 – $15 per individual serve (must make mental note to open farmers market stall).
So we decided to try to make our own and it was super easy, way more economical and very delicious. Tomatoes, garlic and rosemary felt like the right topping as they are such classic Italian flavours and using the oil from the confit means that these flavours penetrate right through the dough.
However if you prefer your focaccia plain or with rosemary and sea salt instead, simple follow the dough part of this recipe and then sprinkle with rosemary, sea salt and drizzle over a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and bake. Also there is so many other potential combinations you could try, the possibilities are endless!
You will need to start this recipe a day ahead as the dough needs an overnight stay in the fridge to really let the flavour and gluten develop, however its a really easy recipe to follow with a lot of down time, so make it in between doing other things. There is also no kneading so your wrist will thank you too!
I took this focaccia to a family gathering the other week and served it antipasto style with some thinly sliced prosciutto, mortadella and salami and some stracciatella cheese to spoon over the top.
Focaccia topped with confit tomato, garlic and rosemary
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl large
- 1 Oven/ roasting tin we used 33 x 23 cm (a little smaller or a little bigger wont matter and you want one with higher sides, not a flat tray)
- 1 Baking dish small
Ingredients
Focaccia
- 4 cups plain flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2½ tsp instant yeast
- 2 cups warm water (not hot)
Confit tomato, garlic and rosemary
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 bulb garlic (peeled, cloves whole)
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
Instructions
Focaccia
- Start this recipe a day ahead
- Add flour, salt and instant yeast to a large mixing bowl and mix together dry ingredients until well combined.
- Add 2 cups of warm water from the tap (make sure its not too hot and definitely don't add boiling water as it can kill the yeast).
- Mix water and dry ingredients together with a wooden spoon until well combined (there should be no dry flour visible).
- Cover the bowl with a beeswax wrap or cling film and refrigerate overnight.
Confit tomatoes, garlic and rosemary
- Preheat your over to 100 ℃
- Add tomatoes, garlic and rosemary to a baking dish and sprinkle over sea salt, then pour over your olive oil. You may need a little more or a little less depending on the size of your baking dish but there should be enough olive oil to completely submerge your ingredients.
- Bake in the oven for 2 hours.
- Remove from the oven and allow to come to room temperature before using or refrigerate overnight until needed.
Baking the Focaccia
- Remove focaccia dough from the fridge.
- Line your roasting tin with baking paper and drizzle a tablespoon of oil from your tomatoes on the bottom of your tray.
- Place your dough into the baking tin and use your hands to gently stretch the dough out as far as you can, don't worry if it doesn't reach the edges as it will grow bigger when it proves (see video at 3 minutes).
- Cover your dough with a beeswax wrap or cling film and leave in a warm place for 1½ – 2 hours.
- Once your dough has proved it will have doubled in size (see video at 3.26 minutes).
- Preheat your fan forced oven to 220 ℃
- Uncover your dough and dip your clean fingers in a little olive oil, gently poke dents into your dough (this will help aerate your dough and make it light and fluffy).
- Spoon confit, tomatoes, garlic, rosemary and a little of the oil onto the top of the dough and sprinkle with a little sea salt.
- Bake in the oven at 220℃ for 25 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the tray a little and either serve warm or cool completely and eat later
Video
Nutrition
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