Quick and simple focaccia
https://fannyzanotti.com/quick-simple-focaccia/The recipe that is on its way to becoming my go-to!A little more hydration and yeast makes for a quick and simple focaccia- 2 hours-ish from the cupboard to the table. And by adding a bit of old dough or some sourdough discard, the flavour is just as wonderful!
Ingredients
- 500 g Italian 00 or strong white flour read note above
- 400 mL warm water
- 21 g fresh yeast or 7 g instant yeast
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 125 g old bread dough/starter discard optional, read note above
- olive oil
- flaky sea salt to sprinkle
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir all the ingredients to a very soft dough. I like to add a bit of old bread dough from the restaurant for added sourness, but you could leave it out or use a sourdough starter/discard.
- Give the dough a vigorous beating with your hand for 30 seconds. Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
- Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the dough and on top of your workbench, and rub liberally.Flip the dough on to it, using a scraper to gently pull the dough away from the bowl. Pull the dough into a 30cm or so rectangle, fold in by thirds and then a second time. Return to the bowl for 30 minutes.
- Line a baking tray with nonstick paper and rub a little olive oil over it.
- Heat the oven to 225°C/fan 200°C.
- Place the dough at the centre of the prepared tray, and repeat the stretch and fold of the dough. With the tips of your fingers pointing straight down, dimple the dough about a dozen times, then leave for 30 minutes.
- Stretch out the dough again to cover the tray. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top. reduce the oven temperature to 200°C/fan 180°C and bake for 25-35 minutes, until golden.
- Allow to cool on a wire-rack.
Notes
- My favourite flour for focaccia comes from a Swedish mill. It is a high-protein organic flour made with a spring-wheat sort, called Quarna. A must try if you ever find your way to Sweden. You can order their flours and grains here.
- I like to use a bit of old dough, or even some sourdough discard, when making bread that only relies on yeast as leavening agent. I find that it adds complexity to the bread, creating a unique flavor profile that is not possible with just yeast. The longer the old dough or sourdough discard has been fermenting, the more complex the flavour will be. I also think that it helps to improve the texture of the dough, making it more elastic. And of course, it is a wonderful way to use your discard and reduce waste in your kitchen.