Focaccia

When I finally made it for the first time it was so good that the kids demanded it again. I didn’t take pics the first time, second time I took it in the night and wasn’t too happy with them.

Finally made it for lunch today along with some creamy mushroom soup and got some pictures that shows how delicious and filling this lovely bread can be.

Thank you Sumod Sarr for your fallback recipes and Himanshu for guiding me the first time I made focaccia

INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour – 3 cups

Lukewarm water – 1 1/8 cups

Sugar – 2 Table spoon

Olive oil – 2 Table spoon

Salt – 1 teaspoon

Yeast – 2 Teaspoon

TOPPINGS

6-7 cherry tomatoes

7-8 basil leaves

1/2 pkt sliced mushrooms

Sliced Green olives

1 caramelized sliced onions

Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Salt

METHOD

1. In a bowl take 1 1/8 cup lukewarm water, add 1 tsp sugar and 2 tsp dry yeast. Mix well and set aside to rise.

2. In a large mixing bowl, take All purpose flour add olive oil, sugar and salt.

3. Mix all the above using a scrape to make smooth soft dough, transfer to a lightly floured work table and knead gently at least 10 Minutes. Make a ball shaped dough.

4. Transfer it back to lightly greased mixing bowl, gently grease with olive oil and cover with a wet cloth and set aside to rise for 1 ½ to 2 Hours or till it doubles in size

5. When it has doubled in size , knock down the dough, knead it a litte.

6. Take a well greased tray (11″ X 9″) Pat down the dough and spread it to all sides of the tray.

7. Place the toppings spread out on the dough. Remember to put the cherry tomatoes cut side upward. Don’t put the basil now.

8. Makes some indentation all over the dough.

9. Leave it to rest covered for 30 mins or till it rises slightly puffy.

10. Make more indentation and Drizzle olive oil with a spoon over the top, sprinkle some sea salt. Poke the crust with a skewer which will help it release steam while baking.

11. Put it to bake in a preheated oven at 180-200 degrees for 16-18 minutes. The crust gets golden fast so keep an eye.

12. Allow the bread to rise and get a golden crust.

13. 5 minutes before it’s baked, remove and top with Basil leaves and shaved parmesan cheese. Pop it back in to bake for 5 mins.

14. When baked, remove and Let it cool for 5-7 minutes then demould. Slice and serve warm