- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Focaccia!
For a while I heard a lot of chatter about Samin Nosrats 2017 cookbook "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat". Many of my foodie friends mentioned it and had a very strong opinion about it and I was really curious. However, I lost track of it over other stuff until I came across the Netflix show about the book. It comes in 4 episodes, each one covering one of the four elements Samin mentions in her book and if you haven't watched it, yet, I highly recommend it.
One recipe - among the many ones in the show - stood really out to me. The focaccia, Samin makes in the 'fat' episode in Italy. Because the show doesn't provide a recipe and instead simply shows how it is made, I went online to do some serious research on many Italian websites and the result is the recipe you see below. It's a best-of many recipes I found and also simplified enough to make it at home.
Another option would have been to simply go to the book's website (see above) and look up the recipe. But having figured it out on my own feels nice and accomplished.
I love the focaccia on its own, when it's freshly baked. But it works great in sandwiches and panini or as bread component with a charcuterie or cheese platter.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour - 2 1/2 cups or 300g
- Water - 6.75 fl. oz or 200ml
- Active Dry Yeast - 0.5oz or 12.5g
- Granulated Sugar - 1 tsp
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
- Salt - 1 tsp
- For the Pan
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2-3 tbsp
- For the Brine
- Water - 1/3 cup
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
Instructions
- Gently mix the yeast, sugar, and lukewarm water in a measuring cup and set aside for 15 minutes until yeast starts to foam.
- Add flour, yeast mixture, and olive oil to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook. Knead on middle for 7 - 8 minutes.
- Add in the salt and knead on high for another 3 - 4 minutes. The resulting dough is going to be pretty sticky, don't get nervous about that.
- Generously grease a 3 quart plastic container with olive oil (don't forget the lid) and add the dough into the container. Add lid and let proof in a warm and draft free place for 90 minutes. The dough will fill the entire container.
- Line a quarter sheet pan with baking paper and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Dump the dough, and - with another tablespoon of olive oil in your hands - pat the dough down into the pan.
- Cover and let rest for 45 minutes.
- Use your three middle fingers to poke regular holes into the risen dough.
- Cover again and let rest for another 45 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 220° C (425° F) and mix the warm water with the salt in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the salt water over the focaccia so most holes are filled.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and the water has evaporated. Rotate halfway through.
