Quick Focaccia

Intro – May 2020 – Quick Focaccia
 
Need to take something to a potluck?  Want to surprise the family with something special for dinner, a TV-watching party, for the first barbeque of the year?  Then do try this recipe.  Even if you are not a regular bread baker, you may soon become one because of the ease of producing this show-stopper.
 
EnJOY
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An Italian-born friend, whom my family affectionately calls Nonna, every Friday bakes six slabs of focaccia for her extended, grateful family and also for her friends.  When she opens her oven door to remove focaccia, the smell is heavenly.  This is not Nonna’s recipe, but it is close.

​1 package active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup lukewarm water
   (105 to 115 degrees F)

​Dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm water.

​1 tablespoon salt
1 cup hot water

​Dissolve salt in hot water.

3-1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
plus extra olive oil to oil:
   - dough bowl
   - baking sheet
   --or use--
   olive oil baking spray

​In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast/sugar mixture, and salt/water mixture.  Stir in olive oil.  Recombine all.
 
Mix well to form a fairly firm dough and turn it out onto a floured surface.  Knead dough until it’s no longer sticky.
 
Place dough into a large well-oiled bowl, turning dough over and over so that it is completely oiled and then put bowl in a draft-free environment, cover bowl with a cloth, and allow dough to double in bulk.
 
Punch down risen dough and knead it for three minutes.  Roll out dough to fit on an oiled 13x17-inch baking sheet.  Cover dough with cloth; let dough rise 20 more minutes.

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​1 cup or so toppings, e.g.,
   sun-dried tomatoes,
   pitted olives,
   roasted garlic, or
    a combination thereof
2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 tablespoons herbs such as
   rosemary, dry or fresh

Poke many finger holes into—but not through—dough.
 
Fill finger-hole depressions with toppings.
Sprinkle surface of dough with salt and herbs.
 
Bake focaccia in preheated 400-degree-F oven 20 minutes or until crust is crisp and browned.

EnJoy

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