Herbed Focaccias
Submitted by akalb1
Herbed focaccia, a crisp Italian flatbread with a touch of cornmeal, brushed with warm garlic-herb olive oil and showered with kosher salt. Thin and crackly, it’s made for open sandwiches and freezes well.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis isn’t the thick, pillowy focaccia you might expect. It’s rolled thin and baked crisp, the kind of bread made for piling with salami, cheese, and other open-sandwich fixings.
A little cornmeal worked into the bread flour dough is the secret to its texture, lending a subtle crunch and a rustic bite.
The dough comes together fast in a food processor, kneaded in under a minute, then left to rise until doubled. You can use it right away or refrigerate it overnight for even better flavor.
Before baking, you roll it into thin rounds, dimple the surface with a fork, and brush it generously with a warm garlic and dried-herb olive oil that soaks right in.
A short, hot bake crisps the edges, and a final shower of fresh chives, parsley, and red pepper flakes finishes it.
Pro Tips
- Don’t overbake; the recipe wants it only lightly browned at the edges, so check early and pull it while still pale in the center.
- Prick the dough all over and pop any big air pockets that form in the first couple of minutes so it bakes flat and even.
- Warm the garlic-herb oil gently, not hot, before brushing so the flavors infuse without frying the garlic.
Variations
- Top with fresh rosemary, flaky salt, and thin-sliced onion before baking for a classic look.
- Add grated Parmesan or olives for more flavor.
- Bake ahead and freeze, then reheat from cold as the recipe describes, for ready sandwich bread anytime.
Ingredients
Directions
A small amount of cornmeal gives this focaccia--a flat bread--a perfect texture for improvised open sandwiches.
You might start with thinly sliced salami and cheese.
Preheat oven to 450F.
Fifteen minutes before baking focaccia, put rack in center of oven.
If you have 2 ovens, preheat both; otherwise bake focaccias in sequence, one after the other.
Generously oil 2 large baking sheets, preferably black steel.
Stir yeast and sugar into warm water.
Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Mix flour, cornmeal and salt in food processor fitted with metal blade (can also be kneaded with mixer dough hook or by hand).
Turn on processor.
Slowly pour yeast mixture through feed tube.
Also pour 2 tablespoons oil through.
Process until dough cleans inside of work bowl but is still moist.
If it sticks, add a little flour; if it’s dry, add a little water.
Once dough is moist but not so wet that it sticks to sides of bowl, process until uniformly kneaded, elastic and supple, about 40 seconds.
Transfer dough to large plastic food bag, squeeze out air and seal at top, allowing room for dough to expand.
Let dough rise in warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch down; use immediately or refrigerate overnight.
Combine remaining 6 tablespoons oil, garlic and dried herbs.
Gently heat until warm (not hot) on stove top or microwave.
Divide dough in half. Let rest 5 minutes.
On floured board, roll each piece into about a 12-inch round.
Transfer to prepared baking sheets.
Prick surface with fork.
Brush with oil mixture, including edges.
Sprinkle with Kosher salt.
Bake, one at a time, until very lightly browned around edges only, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Do not over bake.
Check after 2 minutes in oven; prick any air pockets with fork.
Brush with any remaining oil, including edges.
Sprinkle with fresh herbs and pepper flakes.
Can be baked in advance and frozen.
To do so, cool completely, freeze and then wrap airtight.
Let thaw in wrapping.
To reheat, place in cold oven and set at 300℉ (150℃)
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