Focaccia with rosemary and sea salt

Focaccia with rosemary and sea salt - Easy Meals with Video Recipes by Chef Joel Mielle - RECIPE30

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Incredible yet simple Italian Bread

It always amazes me how some simple foods can taste so incredible. Focaccia is one of those foods, it has few ingredients, yet it’s almost magical how great it tastes! Focaccia is an oven baked italian bread similar in texture to pizza dough. Popular throughout Italy (and I can see why!) This is the perfect focaccia recipe because it’s crunchy on top and on the bottom, plus it’s light with creamy pockets of olive oil goodness. It’s not too thick and not too thin. Salted with flaky sea salt and some fresh rosemary is sure to put your taste buds into orbit. Eat it fresh out of the oven, and shut your windows as the cooking smells will attract all the neighbours! Great for antipasto, appetizers or as a snack. A common dish in Liguria Italy. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH
3 cups - 450g strong (00) flour
1 cup - 150g fine semolina
1 cup - water hot (not boiling)
1 cup - milk from the fridge
7g sachet of dried yeast or 15g for fresh yeast
1 tsp. Honey
½ tbsp salt
1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE TOPPING
¼ cup water
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Flaky salt
1 small handful rosemary sprigs

Steps

Step 1
In a measuring jug, add one cup of cold milk and one cup of hot (not boiling) water. Mixed liquids should be warm not hot, try and stay under 100°F or 40°C or you will kill the yeast. Cooler water will still work but take longer. Mix in the honey, (you can heat the honey in microwave to help a little). Add the yeast, mix well with a spoon and set aside to activate. About 20 minutes, you will see lot’s of babbles when it’s ready.
Step 2
Add the yeast liquid mixture to an electric mixer bowl, add the flour, semolina and salt, use a dough hook attachment. Mix for 12 minutes on low speed or the knead setting. If you don’t have an electric mixer, then knead by hand. Remove bowl from mixer, cover the top with a lid or cling film and leave to rest in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes. It should double to triple in size.
Step 3
Oil a sheet pan or a flat oven baking dish with a generous drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with fine salt. The pan I used is 15 x 10 inches or 26 x 38 cm.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F).
Step 5
Press the risen dough into the oiled sheet pan, flatten to fill the pan as much as you can. Then brush the whole surface with olive oil. Leave it to rise in a warm draft free place for 30-45 minutes. Ideally around 30°C 86°F.
Step 6
Make deep dents in the dough with your fingers, (dot the bread) being careful not to make holes in the dough.
Step 7
For the topping. In a jar with a lid or a small bottle, add the water and oil (you can also use mixing in a bowl with a whisk) until it forms an emulsion, then quickly drizzle it evenly over the top of the focaccia dough. Ensure each dot (hole) is filled with the liquid.
Step 8
Sprinkle the dough with a flaky type of sea salt. Add the chopped rosemary
Step 9
Bake in the oven at 200° C (400° F) for 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp and brown. Check the bottom, should be crispy brown too.
Step 10
Remove from sheet pan immediately and place on a cooling rack so it stays crispy. Slice and have it warm, if you can resist waiting that long!

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