One of the best kitchen gadget I ever bought was a bread machine. I actually think I have been through two of them already. It is one of those kitchen gadgets, machines, appliances, that become your best friend once you realize how simple it is to use. A great kitchen gadget and a simple recipe is what makes this recipe for Easy Focaccia Bread, well, so easy. But, you don’t have to run out and buy a bread machine. I gave you the option of using a mixer, stand or hand, to make this recipe.
Like most new appliances, it takes reading the user manual, which I highly recommend, to get used to it. You don’t have to read every little section, at first. What I did was read the safety, no-brainer tips like don’t use near water, (ah, yeah!), looked at easy steps to get going and then I picked one recipe that was in the manual and went to town. Once my house was filled with the smell of fresh baked bread, I was hooked. I wanted to try every recipe possible.
Well, the other thing that happened to me was, I discovered the dough cycle on my bread machine. In as little as 50 minutes I can make pizza dough, dough for dinner rolls, and yes, Easy Focaccia Bread! What’s really cool about using the Dough Cycle is it mixes everything for you, let’s the dough rise for the proper amount of time and when all of that is done, you get to form the dough into rolls, loaves, pizza crusts…whatever the recipe calls for.
All bread machines are designed to mix, proof and bake the dough, all in the machine. Some even mix pasta dough and make jam. What??? I absolutely love letting the bread machine do ALL the work and having a wonderful loaf of fresh bread waiting for me. But, then again by using the Dough Cycle, I can shape the dough myself, (I call it playing), into knotted rolls, braided breads and other free form shapes. I can also use different pans to bake the bread in. Either way my house is filled with that AMAZING smell of freshly baked bread.
Ok, well, back to my Easy Focaccia Bread recipe. I love that you don’t need a lot of ingredients to make this bread. Of course, it is the perfect accompaniment to any Italian meal, and who doesn’t love warm, fresh bread? There are a couple of differences to my recipe that I think make it stand out…The recipe itself makes a small batch of dough. I like it because I often find when I make bread, I enjoy it for a few days and then there is so much left over. Sure you can freeze it, but it is not the same as having freshly baked bread. The other thing I do to make my Easy Focaccia Bread a little different is to bake it in a baking dish or cake pan as opposed to a baking sheet. This makes the edges a little bit more crispy and extra yummy when you serve it with a dipping oil. I especially like using a round stoneware baking dish, but a round cake pan will work well too. The other thing that is great, since the loaf itself is small, you can cut it across the middle and use it for sandwiches or panini’s. You can serve it as an appetizer with some cheese and fruit and yes, as the start to your Italian meal. Once you have made this bread, you will want to make it again and again. That is why I love sharing simple recipes that are loaded with flavor and will become one of your favorites. So, Happy Bread Making, Happy Simple Recipes, and Happy New Cooking Discoveries starting with Easy Foccacia Bread from the Memorable Kitchen!
- ⅔ cup warm water (about 110°F*)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Pizza Seasoning (optional)
- 1 (0.25 ounce) package active-dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- flaked sea salt or Kosher salt
- Italian Seasoning or Dried Basil or fresh herbs like Rosemary or Basil
- Add ingredients into the Bread Machine container in the following order--water, olive oil, flour, sugar, salt, seasonings and yeast.
- Set on the Dough Cycle and press start.
- When dough is finished, place in a 9 or 10 inch round baking dish that has been prepared with cooking spray or a little olive oil. Pat into a circle all the way to the edges of the dish.
- Cover with a piece of greased plastic wrap or parchment paper and let rise for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Poke deep holes about an inch apart all over the top of the dough.
- Brush with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with extra herbs or seasonings.
- Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve warm with olive oil and cracked black pepper or your favorite dipping oil.
- In a medium bowl for a stand mixer add warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and give a couple of stirs to combine.
- Let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is bubbly.
- Using the dough attachment on your mixer, start mixing the yeast mixture on low speed.
- Gradually start adding the flour, then the olive oil, salt and 1 teaspoon of seasoning.
- Increase speed a few more notches but not higher than medium speed.
- Mix the dough for 5 minutes until it starts to pull away from the side of the bowl. If the dough is too wet or sticky, add a little more flour. (1-2 tablespoons)
- Remove dough from the mixing bowl and form into a bowl. Place in a clean bowl that has been greased with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Cover the bowl with a damp, non fuzzy kitchen towel and place in a warm location for 1 hour or until the dough has nearly doubled in size. Carefully place the dough in a 9 or 10 inch round baking dish that has been prepared with cooking spray or a little olive oil. Pat into a circle all the way to the edges of the dish.
- Cover with a piece of greased plastic wrap or parchment paper and let rise for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Poke deep holes about an inch apart all over the top of the dough.
- Brush with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with extra herbs or seasonings.
- Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve warm with olive oil and cracked black pepper or your favorite dipping oil.
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