Bread has been a central figure in my family’s food experience since I was a kid. From my dad’s cinnamon rolls, to garlic knots at a favorite Italian place, to crusty baguettes in France, the doughy dinning companion has been there along the way. I’m not sure what it is about it but it’s the ultimate comfort food. I still remember as a kid my mom making me toast after I had woken from a bad dream. It was like a warm, buttery hug.
Now as an adult it still factors in to most meals and when it’s not there, I oh so want some. I’ve mostly bought bread from different vendors as I’ve often thought it was too involved. And there is some truth to that; there’s a knack to making good bread. There’s a local bakery that does a great job and they’re right next to a cupcake place. That’s a no-brainer.
Despite the reasons not to, I set about making focaccia about a year or so ago. At first it turned out like a flat cracker. Where was the spongey goodness I knew from some Italian restaurants? It was dry, dense and boring, quite frankly. I wondered at first if it was the yeast having gone past the “freshness” date (that’s how little I baked). So I got some new stuff and tried it.
Now the recipe called for warm water. I took that to mistakenly mean practically boiling. I would warm up water in the kettle then effectively kill the yeast on contact with said scalding water. So the next loaf turned out no different: flat, uninspired. Hmm maybe it wasn’t the yeast, maybe it was the temperature of the water? Yep, the latter. I was boiling the poor guys killing them before they did their job. Let’s say I learned my lesson, warming the water to a perfect 110 degrees, resulting in the next loaf being much fluffier, though a dry quality persisted.
This past weekend we were invited to a lovely Italian dinner party by fun newer friends where we met some fun now new friends. For an appetizer we were asked to bring an item; cheese, wine, nuts, or bread. I signed us up for bread deciding this would be an ultimate focaccia moment.
Since I had no idea who all would be at this party, I did not want to disappoint. Who wants to bring the one stinker food item that no one can chew and ultimately spits out? Needless to say, I made a test batch the day before. Still the result was ‘mah.’ It wasn’t terrible; it wasn’t too dry, but wasn’t really fluffy either.
So it was Sunday, the day of the dinner. I’ll admit I was a little nervous, at least apprehensive. Betty & Bobo’s were open that day. This was an Italian dinner after all. Ok, maybe that was too much pressure on myself so I lightened up. And listened to my cooking gut. I decided to lower the amount of whole wheat flour which was probably adding to the dryness and some of the lack of fluff. I also added a near tablespoon of minced garlic. This made the dough have the most delicious aroma as it raised. Wow, I could have (almost) ate it raw. Then, after shaping it, I let it sit up longer. The recipe said about 30 minutes. I left it probably for an hour allowing it to really expand.
When the garlicky aroma filled the kitchen as it baked and the nice crust formed over a puffy middle, I knew this would be a winner. I hate to brag (ok, only a little) but it was almost perfect and the dinner party guests and hosts complimented it. Normally I might not eat my own dish leaving it for others to partake. To hell with that! This time I helped myself to a few as it was fluffy with a nicely chewy crust and herb-garlic flavor throughout. And went nicely dipped in the requisite olive oil and aged balsamic.
Vittorre! Or what’s Italian for ‘win’? I’m so pleased this turned out. I’m glad I persevered after all the flat, frisbees of disappointments. Now I know what it takes to make a perfect focaccia. And I can add this to the list of family favorites. So keep trying! Keep cooking, people!
Give it a try yourself and let me know how it turns out.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the top
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour or a mixture of 1/2 cup whole wheat and 2-2 1/2 cups white
- Cornmeal if using a stone
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees Fahrenheit) in a small bowl and set aside until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, oil a bowl for the dough.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup warm water with the proofed yeast, then add the salt, garlic, rosemary, oil, and as much flour as the dough will hold. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, working in enough flour to make it easy to handle, about 5 minutes. Place in the oiled bowl, turn once, and cover with a damp cloth. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to an hour.
- Turn out the dough and roll it into a circle or oval about 1/2 inch thick. Leave it whole or slash it decoratively in several places, then pull on the dough to open the cuts. Place on the back of a sheet pan or wooden peel dusted with cornmeal, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover and let rise again, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with a baking stone if you are using one. Transfer dough to baking stone and bake in the middle of the oven until the bread is browned, about 30 minutes. To develop a crisp crust, spray the bread with water two or three times during the first 10 minutes in the oven.
Notes
Adapted from the recipe from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
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