Basil Focaccia
This Basil Focaccia with Parmesan has everything this traditional Italian bread is known for. It is soft and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. And has a delicious Basil, Parmesan, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt topping. This recipe is easy and delicious.
Equipment
- A conventional oven is used. When using a convection oven (with air fan) decrease the temperature with 30 °F / 20 °C
- Bread baking machine optional
- optional: mixer with dough hooks optional
- baking plate
Ingredients
Focaccia
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup water tepid
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon yeast instant, see tips
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Topping
- 3 tablespoons olive oil extra vierge, to pour over the bread
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 teaspoons sea salt coarse
Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic
Instructions
Bread baking machine
- Put all ingredients in the bread machine in the order specified by the manufacturer.3 cups all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon yeast, ½ teaspoon sugar
- Then turn the machine on the dough mode into the position in which the machine kneads the dough and runs the 1st rise. Go further at the instructions after the first rise.
With a mixer or by hand
- Put water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl, mix well and let stand for 5 minutes. By then, there should be bubbles (if that is not the case, then the yeast is no longer good, and you must use a new package)⅔ cup water, 1 teaspoon yeast, ½ teaspoon sugar
- Put the flour in a bowl with the salt and mix well.3 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt
- Then mix the oil through it.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Stir well with a wooden spoon so that all the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the yeast mixture and start kneading (by hand or with the mixer).
- Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic to the touch, and that will certainly take 10 minutes of kneading.
- Shape the dough into a ball.
- Grease a bowl with oil and place the dough in it. Turn once and cover the bowl with a damp towel, and put it away on a warm place.
- Let the dough rise for half an hour (or until doubled in volume). Go further with the instructions after the first rise.
After the first rise (for bread baking machine, kneading by hand or mixer)
- Lay the dough on a greased workplace.
- Press the air out, form a ball and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Press the dough into an oval.
- Place the damp towel over the dough and leave the bread to rise for an hour in a warm place.
- After half an hour, preheat the oven to
390 °F or 
350 °F - After the second rise, you moisten the top of the loaf with water. Push with your fingertips dimples in the bread.
Topping
- Drizzle with olive oil.3 tablespoons olive oil
- Mix the basil with the Parmesan cheese and sea salt and sprinkle the top of the focaccia.1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons sea salt
- Put this bread in the oven for 20 minutes and then remove the bread from the oven.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
NOTES
1. Yeast - This recipe uses one teaspoon of instant yeast. If you prefer to use fresh yeast, you need ¼ oz. If you use dry yeast, you also need one teaspoon. Note: With fresh and dry yeast, you must first dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water before adding it to your dough, so it already starts doing its job.
2. Instead of forming the bread on a baking sheet, you can also spread it in a cast iron pan. Then, you can cook it in the oven or on a wood fire (with a lid).
3. Are you kneading by hand, and the dough is too sticky? Then rub your hands with olive oil. You will see that this is much better.
4. Oven - When you use a conventional oven, set the temperature to 390 °F (200 °C). In a convection oven, 350 °F (180 °C) is sufficient.
5. Storage
- Room Temperature - Wrap the bread in plastic wrap or an airtight box. You can keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freezer - This bread freezes well. Wrap in two layers of foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 2064kcal | Carbohydrates: 297g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 76g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 53g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 5937mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Iron: 18mg
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