Focaccia!

In Cremona, my breakfast is always a toaster-oven warmed piece of focaccia and a glass of orange juice. My family buys their focaccia during trips to Liguria and brings it home. Then, it's sliced, bagged and stored in the freezer. Ohh so good.

Some days the craving for focaccia overcomes me. I should make it more often. It's easy and almost as good as its Italian counterpart. 

I've made my own focaccia for at least 10 years.  Six or seven years ago Rosa, from Cremona, visited me in California. She thought my focaccia tasted authentic! Or almost authentic. 

One day, I will try my recipe, using my precious Italian flour. For now, I use unbleached American flour. 

Focaccia

2 ½ teaspoons freeze dried

½ cup warm water

Stir and Dissolve the yeast and let sit 10 minutes

Add 1 cup cool water

Add 2 tbls olive oil

1 t sea salt

3 ½ - c flour

Mix in the flour, slowly.  You may need a little less or a little more, depending on the weather.

Knead dough for 8-10 minutes.

First Rising

Place dough in large, lightly oiled bowl.  Cover and allow to rise 1 ½ hours

Second Rise

Press into oiled jelly roll pan 7 x12 inch

For a thicker focaccia, make a smaller rectangle of dough

Let rise 30 minutes

Third Rise

Dimple the dough with fingertips.  Allow to rise again.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon large sea salt.

Bake in oven 400 F degrees, with bowl of water in the oven.  Make sure the top is lightly browned. 

It should lift right out of the pan.  If not, it is not done.  Bake a few more minutes. It should be crunchy on the outside, but soft on the inside.

Freezes well.