Last week was visiting my sweet mother-in-law I expressed my desire to return to the kitchen while I had an extra set of hands around to hold the baby if necessary. The problem was that if after 3 weeks of nothing but baby love, I'm not really ideas or inspiration. Fortunately, she mentioned having made a version of this recipe a few weeks ago and said it was outstanding and easy so I had to give it a try! (It went perfectly with the tens of meat dumplings she did tonight for our dinner and the freezer!)
There is a not so secret ingredient in this recipe which I think is why it's so damn good. Ready-well, it's a WHOLE cup of olive oil. Yeah ... oh Lot- man, but man is it about this amazing recipe. The dough is coated with it, giving it a crispness that is to die. We mixed in chopped rosemary and watered flaky sea salt and parmesan on top, but the flavors are endless combos. What we have is a great base recipe that could be used with many other ingredients. I just like to have these types of recipes in my arsenal and I think you will absolutely love!
PS-Wedges can be placed in freezer bags, then put right in the toaster oven for a quick snack!
- 1 active package
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 5 cups all purpose plus extra for kneading
- 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, more puff sea salt for sprinkling
- 1¾ cups of hot water
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
- ½ cup finely grated parmesean
- in the bowl a mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, 1 tablespoon kosher salt and mix on low speed until combined. Add ½ cup of olive oil and water and mix the dough for 5-6 minutes on medium speed until lifts off the bottom of the bowl and is smooth and soft. Sprinkle with flour if the dough seems too sticky. (I added about ¼ cup extra)
- Transfer dough to a clean, lightly floured, then knead by hand 1 or 2 times- adding a little more flour if dough is sticky .
- Coat the inside of the mixer bowl lightly with olive oil and turn the dough in the bowl, turning the dough so it is coated. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
- Coat a jelly roll pan (half-sheet pan) with remaining ½ cup of olive oil. Turn the dough on the pan and use your fingers to spread and tap the edges. Turn the dough over all and continue to lobby and pulp in the mold and to the edges. Sprinkle the rosemary on top of the dough and press it into the dough with your fingers as well. (You can really use your fingers here- even make holes in the dough- it will be perfect and rustic after tests in again.)
- Put the dough in warm place until it has doubled in size again, about another hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- generously sprinkle the top of the focaccia with salt and slightly flaky sea water a little oil on top. Bake the dough until top of loaf is golden brown, 20 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes.
- Allow bread to cool slightly and cut into wedges or squares.