An Herbal Feast: Focaccia

Throw the ultimate holiday party this season—it’s easier than you think.

December/January 2009
By Allison Martin 
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Serves 10

This versatile, flat, oven-baked Italian bread is related to pizza. Popular in Italy, focaccia usually is seasoned with olive oil and herbs; topped with onion, cheese and meat; or flavored with vegetables. A common practice is to dot the bread with a finger or a utensil handle, which preserves moisture in the bread and creates small reservoirs that capture the olive oil that’s spread over the dough.

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• 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2½ cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• About 7 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Additional olive oil and salt

1. Mix all ingredients (except additional olive oil and salt) in a stand mixer for 5 to 6 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Let dough rise for 1½ hours.

2. Press dough into an oiled pan and let rise for 30 minutes. Dimple the dough with your fingers. Spread additional olive oil on top of dough. Sprinkle with additional salt and let rise for 1½ hours.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and cut into small squares or triangles.

4. Top with your favorite veggies, cheeses or meats—try fresh rosemary, chopped tomatoes and caramelized onions, shown in the photo at left.

Allison Martin is associate editor of The Herb Companion. She enjoyed tasting her way through this story. 

For the main article, An Herbal Feast for the Holiday Season, click here.

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  • KC Compton 12/29/2008 3:22:42 PM

    Thanks for the note, Lila. I'm glad that all turned out well, particularly with adding in the oil and salt for the second rising. A gamble that paid off.

    We'll correct the recipe in our database. Thanks for drawing our attention to it. Would you say that the pan size you used was about right?

    I think the focaccia is supposed to be fairly thick. I'll check with Vicki Mattern, our editor who tested the recipe for us, and see what she says.

    Thank you again for getting in touch.

    --K.C. Compton, editor in chief

  • Lila Jones 12/28/2008 11:21:00 PM

    I made the focaccia bread today from the "Herbal Feast" article by Allison Martin. I should like to point out that there is no pan size included and I guessed at the size for a 7-Cups flour recipe. I used a 9.5x13.5x2" glass pan. I don't know how thick (depth) focaccia is supposed to be. Mine is a little above the pan top - about 2 1/2+ inches.

    The second problem was mine. I misread and left the oil and salt out of the dough until after the first rise. I read the recipe again and realized thatit should have been mixed in.

    The 2nd entry for oil and salt, in my opinion, should have been separated by a double space or set apart somehow. Pardon an old typesetter for being picky. I loved the bread, even with the mistake I made. I shall make it again and add the oil and salt into the dough mix. Pan size will be appreciated. Thanks, Lila Jones

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