Michelle Darmody: How to bake focaccia and the mistakes to avoid

It is best not to overbake — you just want a light golden colour on the top and for the bread to be light and soft on the inside.

Bread dough is velvety smooth to work with, and there is something very comforting about feeling it move between your fingers as you knead it.

The warm, sticky mixture becomes soft and pliable as the gluten begins its magic, binding the ingredients together and adding structure so the bread can rise in the oven.

I find there is a particular tactility when working with focaccia dough. It is very soft when you are kneading it at the beginning, when you spread it over your tin it has gained some elasticity and you have to push your fingers deep into the dough to make generous indents, or dimples. These dimples can be filled with olive oil, a soft cheese, or herbs.

Being generous with your olive oil and choosing a good quality one are key in this recipe.

The oil adds flavour, but it also helps with the texture; it creates the crisp layer on both the top and bottom of your bread. The oil also provides a barrier for the toppings, preventing them from burning.

If you add rosemary on top without a quick toss in oil, it will dry out and lose its subtlety during baking. The oil helps to preserve the flavours and allows them to penetrate the dough as it puffs up and rises.

Focaccia

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Being generous with your olive oil and choosing a good quality one are key in this recipe.

Servings

9

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 50 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 500g strong white flour

• 7g dried yeast

• 3 tsp flaky sea salt

• 350ml warm water

• 6 tbsp olive oil

• 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

• Handful of fresh rosemary

Method

1. Stir the yeast into half of the flour and crush two teaspoons of the salt into the other half of the flour.

2. Combine both batches of flour and make a well in the centre.

3. Add the warm water and two tablespoons of the oil into the well and mix it together until a sticky dough is formed.

4. Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it forms a smooth ball.

5. Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough into it.

6. Sit it in a warm place with a damp tea towel draped over it.

7. Allow the dough to double in size; it will take about an hour.

8. Lightly oil a 10 x 14-inch tray with sides.

9. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pull and press it into shape so it fits the tin.

10. Place the dough into the tin and cover it with a warm damp tea towel for 35 minutes.

11. Sauté the shallots in olive oi with a pinch of salt for 20 minutes until they are soft and translucent.

12. At the end of cooking, stir through the sprigs of rosemary, coating them in oil, set aside to cool.

13. Preheat your oven to 200 ºC/gas mark 6.

14. Remove the tea towel from the dough and dimple it with your fingertips.

15. Spread the shallots and rosemary over the dimpled focaccia.

16. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dough.

17. Sprinkle on the remaining sea salt.

18. Bake for 20 minutes until golden on top.

19. Drizzle with some more olive oil and allow to cool in the tin for five minutes then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Baker's tips

Separating the yeast and salt into two separate batches of flour helps to prevent the salt from damaging the yeast and making it inactive. The salt can draw moisture out of the yeast and slow down its fermentation if they are mixed together too early.

It is important that the water is warm to activate the yeast. It should be just slightly above body temperature.

Making a well in the flour to add the wet ingredients ensures a more uniform dough. It allows the wet and dry ingredients to be gradually incorporated in a controlled manner and helps to prevent overmixing, which would result in a tough focaccia.

When choosing a topping, it is best not to use ingredients that contain too much water, as the water will release into the dough, making it soggy. Large mushrooms or big tomatoes, for example, would make the bread wet.

The second rise of the dough in the tin is an important step. It allows the dough to develop structure and strength but also adds more flavour.

It is best not to overbake — you just want a light golden colour on the top and for the bread to be light and soft on the inside.

The focaccia will keep for two days in an airtight container.

Three delicious variations

Tomato, olive, and garlic

In place of the shallots, use 50g sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped, 50g olives, de-stoned and two cloves of garlic, sliced. Toss all of these ingredients in your olive oil and make sure to push them into the dimples in your dough.

Fresh fig and mascarpone

In place of the shallots, use four or five fresh figs. Cut the stems off and quarter the figs.

Mix 1 tablespoon of honey with a half-tablespoon of lemon juice and the zest of two lemons.

Mix this with the olive oil and toss the figs in it. Press the figs and rosemary into the dough and add any extra lemon and oil mixture on top. Bake as instructed.

Brush or drizzle another half-tablespoon of honey on the warm focaccia and serve with dollops of mascarpone on top.

Ham and rocket

When spreading the sautéed shallots over the dough, add wafer-thin slices of ham and push these into the dough. When you are serving, sprinkle fresh rocket on top.

The spiciness of the rocket is great with the salty bread and ham.