Italian focaccia: A versatile and easy homemade delight

You can serve it instead of bread as an accompaniment to dips and sauces or treat guests during a family barbecue. Focaccia is a must-have in my home, and I bake it at least once a week. It excellently replaces regular sandwiches and, thanks to its versatility, appeals to both adults and younger household members.

Focaccia is one of the oldest Italian delicacies. The name derives from the Latin word "focaccio," which means home hearth. Around this hearth, the whole family would gather, waiting for the Italian baked goods to be ready to eat. It resembles pizza, but you can find it in many variations. Some serve just plain flatbread, often as a sandwich base. Others turn focaccia into a more decadent dish by adding olives, tomatoes, cheese, or herbs.

Although some people confuse focaccia with pizza, the recipes for these two Italian treats are slightly different. Focaccia dough rises much longer, usually several hours, or even overnight. This gives focaccia its characteristic fluffy and somewhat moist structure. Pizza dough, on the other hand, rises much shorter, typically around 30 minutes. This makes the pizza thin and crispy.

In my home, focaccia is used as a base for sandwiches. When I take them to work, all my colleagues are instantly jealous.

Ingredients:

            
• 1 1/4 cups of warm water (about 300 mL),
• 0.2 oz dry yeast (about 1 package),
• 1 tablespoon sugar,
• 1 teaspoon salt,
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups type 00 or type 450 flour (about 500 g to 570 g),
• olive oil,
• coarse salt or flake salt.

Instructions:

1. Pour warm water into a bowl, add sugar, yeast, and two tablespoons of flour and mix. Set aside for 20 minutes for the yeast to activate. The mixture won't increase in volume for dried yeast; it may just foam a bit.
2. After this, add salt and flour and knead the dough. It should come away from the sides of the bowl but still be slightly sticky.
3. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and knead the dough for a few minutes. The longer you knead it, the better the result—focaccia will be soft, fluffy, and well-risen.
4. Set the finished dough aside to rise in a bowl smeared with olive oil for 3-4 hours. You can also leave it in the refrigerator overnight and bake it in the morning.
5. Grease the baking pan generously with olive oil.
6. Transfer the risen dough to the pan without rolling it out.
7. Use your fingertips to spread the dough across the entire surface of the pan and make indentations. Your fingers should easily penetrate the dough. Let the dough rise for an additional 40 minutes.
8. Sprinkle the dough with flake salt and generously drizzle with olive oil.
9. Place in an oven preheated to 235-250°C (450-480°F) and bake for about 10-20 minutes until golden brown.

Before baking, you can press additions such as cherry tomatoes, olives or rosemary into the dough, creating a fragrant composition. For example, you can serve focaccia warm or cold instead of sandwiches. Enjoy!