Experience the delight of homemade Italian cuisine with this easy and delicious focaccia bread recipe, baked to perfection in your bread maker. With its soft, airy interior and crispy golden crust, this traditional flatbread will become a staple in your kitchen.
Focaccia, a specialty from the Liguria region in Italy, is perfect for accompanying Mediterranean meals or as a base for savory sandwiches and pizzas. It's also incredibly simple to make at home, with or without a bread maker. But with a bread maker, you'll save time and still enjoy fresh, artisanal focaccia every time.
Ingredients and Equipment
To create this scrumptious focaccia, you'll need the following ingredients and equipment:
| Ingredients | Equipment |
|---|---|
| 280ml (1 cup) warm water | Bread maker |
| 340g (2 3/4 cups) bread flour | Mixing bowl |
| 1 1/2 tsp sea salt | Measuring cups and spoons |
| 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the pan | Silicon brush |
| 1 tsp (1/4 oz) instant yeast | Cooling rack |
| 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (optional) | Oven (if preferred) |
| Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling (optional) | reformed="false">} |
Creating the Dough
Start by adding warm water, bread flour, salt, olive oil, instant yeast, and rosemary (if using) into your bread maker's pan. Make sure to add the yeast last, placing it on top of the flour to keep it dry.
Select the 'Dough' cycle on your bread maker, ensuring it's set to the larger loaf size if applicable. Press 'Start' and let the machine do its magic. In about 1 1/2 hours, your dough will be ready for baking.
Preparing the Baking Pan
While the dough is cycling, prepare a 20x20cm (8x8 inch) baking pan by coating it with olive oil. This will help create that delightful golden crust and make removing the baked focaccia a breeze.
Once the dough is ready, use your silicon brush to evenly apply more olive oil on top of the dough. This will give your focaccia that signature glistening appearance and incredible flavor.
Baking and Finishing Touches
Transfer the oiled dough from the bread maker's pan to your prepared baking pan. Use your fingers to gently press and stretch the dough until it covers the entire surface, ensuring it's even and approximately 2cm (3/4 inch) thick.
ProTip: For that classic focaccia look, make dimples across the surface of the dough using your fingertips. This not only adds charm but also helps the toppings adhere better.
Adding Fighters
Drizzle more olive oil over the dough and sprinkle coarse sea salt (if using) evenly across the surface. You can also add other toppings like sliced olives, cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions, or sun-dried tomatoes at this stage, if desired.
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) or 400°F (350°F convection), ensuring the oven rack is positioned in the middle. If your bread maker has an 'Bake' cycle, you can use that instead, typically around 20-30 minutes, depending on your machine.
Baking and Serving
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown and firm to touch. To check if it's done, insert a skewer or thermometer into the center – it should come out clean or register 200°C (180°C fan) or 400°F (350°F convection).
Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before transferring the focaccia to a cooling rack. Once cooled, it's ready to be sliced and served, accompanied by your favorite Mediterranean dishes or toppings.
Enjoy your homemade focaccia bread, fresh from the bread maker! Whether you're seeking the perfect side for your pasta or a satisfying base for your sandwiches, this classic Italian flatbread will undoubtedly impress. Happy baking!