Focaccia recipe

Focaccia: The Original Pizza’s Grumpy Older Sibling

Focaccia (pronounced foh-KAH-cha, not “focus on the focaccia”), is an Italian flatbread with a history as rich and bubbly as its dough. While its glamorous cousin, pizza, hogs the spotlight, focaccia holds its own as a simple yet satisfying bread.

Here’s the thing about focaccia’s origin story: it’s a bit hazy. Some food anthropologists believe it traces back to the ancient Romans, who used a similar olive-oil-laced flatbread for dipping and soaking up stews. Others claim it originated in Liguria, a coastal region in northwestern Italy, where focaccia supposedly fueled the tireless grumbling of sailors.

Who knows? Maybe focaccia is the bread equivalent of a grumpy older sibling, forever overshadowed by the flashy pizza. But hey, focaccia doesn’t need fancy toppings or acrobatics with dough (we’re looking at you, calzones). It’s perfectly content being a delicious canvas for olive oil, herbs, and the occasional existential crisis about its place in the bread world.

Recipe: Focaccia – The Rise (and Fall) of a Star

Making focaccia is easier than explaining existential dread to your sourdough starter. Here’s what you’ll need:

The Foundation:
- Active dry yeast – 1 packet (like a tiny party favor for your future focaccia friends)
- Warm water – 1 1/4 cups (not too hot, or the yeast will throw a tantrum and die)
- All-purpose flour – 3 1/2 cups (plus extra for dusting)
- Olive oil – 1/4 cup (good quality, because you deserve it and so does your focaccia)
- Salt – 1 teaspoon (to add some personality, you know, besides the existential angst)
The Finishing Touches: (Pick your favorites or go rogue!)
- Extra virgin olive oil – for drizzling (because can you ever have too much olive oil?)
- Flaky sea salt – for a fancy touch (or regular salt, we won’t judge)
- Fresh rosemary – for an herbal high note (dried works too, in a pinch)
- Chopped garlic – because vampires shouldn’t be the only ones who enjoy it

Instructions:

The Yeast Beast Awakens: In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar (to keep the yeast happy). Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it gets all foamy and excited.
Flour Power: Add the flour, olive oil, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hand (pretend you’re kneading stress away) until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead to Know You: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes. You want it smooth and elastic, not lumpy and grumpy like your teenage self.
First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size. Basically, let it have a spa day and chill.
Showtime! Drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil and plop your risen dough onto it. Gently stretch and dimple the dough with your fingertips, creating those signature focaccia craters. It’s like giving your bread a massage.
The Anointing: Drizzle the focaccia with even more olive oil (because why not?) and sprinkle with your chosen toppings. Be creative! Go wild! Just don’t put anchovies on it, unless you’re trying to clear a room.
Second Rise: Cover the focaccia loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
The Grand Bake: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake the focaccia for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and delicious-smelling.
The Big Reveal: Take your focaccia out of the oven and let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Resist the urge to dive in right away (unless you enjoy burning your mouth).

There you have it! Freshly baked focaccia, ready to be devoured. It might not be the star of the show, but it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser (as long as the crowd doesn’t include anchovy enthusiasts).