Two blog posts in one day! I think this means I don't have to post again for a long time, right?
Here is the focaccia bread recipe I mentioned in my last post. This has to be one of my favorite recipes of all time - it comes from a good friend of mine in Nashville, Kristi Smith. I've made it a bunch of times and it is so, so good. You can also make the dough ahead of time and let it rise overnight or even all the next day and bake it before dinner. It's also a great vacation house meal...I've packed all the dry ingredients in a big ziplock bag (with the yeast packets separate) and brought it in my suitcase and made it for dinner in a beach house with Aaron's family too - all you have to do when you get there is buy the herbs. Something about baking fresh bread is really satisfying to me. One loaf feeds about four people, by the way.
Enjoy!
Susan
Focaccia with Herbs
-from Kristi Smith, who attributes it to the Look and Cook Breads Cookbook by Anne Willan
-If making straight through, allow 3 hours and 15 minutes total time (only 15 minutes or so are hands-on time)
-one loaf feeds four adults
Ingredients:
Herbs: 5-7 fresh sprigs (I've used rosemary, thyme and a combination of both)
2 packages of active dry yeast
1 1/4 c lukewarm water
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp salt
6 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
(I have sometimes also added a clove of minced garlic)
Strip herb leaves from the stems and finely chop.
In a small bowl, add the yeast to 1/4 cup of the water. Let stand until dissolved, about 5 minutes. If it doesn't get foamy, your yeast is dead and you should start over with fresh yeast.
Put the flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the center. Add the herbs, the yeast mixture, 1/4 cup of olive oil, the pepper and the remaining 1 c water. Using your hands, work the ingredients until it forms a sticky dough. Then clear a space on the counter and sprinkle it generously with flour and spring your hands with flour too. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes, adding more flour to your hands and the counter as needed until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. (See the photo above)
Brush a large bowl with olive oil, add the dough and cover with a towel. (If you're making it ahead, put it in the fridge at this point for 8 hrs or more). If you're baking it soon, let it rise 1 1/2 hours.
(If you've refrigerated your dough overnight, return to the recipe here).
Brush your pain or baking stone with oil.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 15-20 seconds.
Place the dough on the pan or baking stone and flatten it out to fill the space.
Cover with a towel and let it rise again for 35-45 minutes. (If you've refrigerated your dough, give it 1 hr or more)
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Brush the dough the oil, top with more herb leaves and minced garlic if desired. With fingertips, poke the dough all over.
Bake 20 minutes until crisp crusted on the bottom and lightly browned on top.
