BASIC FOCACCIA

Basic Focaccia image

Few breads are simpler to make. Focaccia essentially involves preparing a type of pizza dough, rolling it out, topping it with some seasonings and serving it warm or reheated.

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Time 2h

Yield 4 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Steps:

Combine the yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir in one-third cup of the water and set aside in a warm place for about five minutes, until the mixture begins to look frothy.
Add the remaining water, half the salt, the pepper and three tablespoons of the oil to the bowl. Stir in two cups of the flour.
Add another one-half cup of the flour, or as much as is necessary to form a soft dough that can be gathered together. Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and knead about eight minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
Use a half tablespoon of the remaining oil to oil a bowl. Place dough in bowl, turn it to oil all sides, cover it lightly and set aside to rise until it has doubled, about one hour.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Oil a nine-inch-square baking dish with some of the remaining oil. Roll or stretch the dough to fit in the baking dish. Prick it all over, then brush it with the remaining oil and sprinkle it with the remaining salt.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the focaccia is browned on the bottom and lightly browned on top. Cut into squares and serve warm or cooled to room temperature.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 386, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 59 grams, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 242 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram