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Fresh Herb Focaccia

Sliced focaccia bread on a upside down baking sheet and sprinkled with sage.
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5 from 1 review

This yeasted Italian fresh herb focaccia bread combines fluffy and bubbly focaccia with fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Focaccia is truly the best bread, and it's at its best when flavored with fresh herbs!

Ingredients

  1. 1 A packet of active dry yeast 
  2. 1/2 cup warm water (about 105 degrees)
  3. 1/2 cup bread flour for that biga and 3 1/4 cups for the dough 
  4. 1 + 1/4 cups water
  5. 1 tablespoon salt 
  6. 1/4 cup olive oil for the dough and 1/2 cup to pour in the baking pans
  7. 3 tablespoons fresh thyme
  8. 3 tablespoons fresh oregano 
  9. 2 tablespoons freshly torn sage leaves 
  10. Leaves from 5-6 fresh rosemary stems 
  11. Pinch of sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Make the sponge by combining 1/2 cup warm water and 1/16 teaspoon of active dry yeast in a mixing bowl and give it a few minutes for the yeast to dissolve. Once the yeast has fully combined with the water add in the 1/2 cup flour. Mix to combine. Cover the blow with plastic wrap and leave 12-24 hours to ferment. Once done the sponge will be bubbly and look like pancake batter. 
  2. Once the sponge is ready, put the sponge in a bowl fitted to a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Add the 1 and 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup olive oil, and the rest of the yeast and mix well. While on low speed, slowly mix in the 3 1/4 cups flour until fully combined. 
  3. Add the salt and all the herbs except the rosemary and turn the speed up to medium and beat the dough until it pulls away from the bowl. About 5-10 minutes. The dough won’t totally clean the bowl but it will get pretty close.
  4. Let the dough rise by placing it a large bowl greased with olive oil. Cover with two layers of plastic wrap and leave it for 1 1/2 hours. 
  5. Once the dough has doubled in size, pour it out onto a floured surface and stretch the dough by pulling each side of the dough and folding it to the center. Put the dough back into the bowl folded side down and cover with plastic wrap and let it prove for 1 more hour. 
  6. Pour 1/2 cup olive oil into 2 10″ baking tins and push it around to fully coat the pans. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and place each piece into a tin. Gently stretch the dough to the sides of the tins being careful to not deflate the dough. Cover the pans with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 3o minutes.
  7. Once rested put the rosemary and sea salt on top of each tin of dough. Gently press the pieces into the dough so that it all becomes well dispersed. Cover and let it rest for 45 minutes more. While it rests preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
  8. Bake the dough for 30-40 minutes until crust is golden and very crispy. Brush baked focaccia with olive oil and sprinkle with more sea salt. 

Notes

  • Make sure your water is warm but not hot, to hot will kill the yeast
  • Rest the dough in a warm place, I rest it in the sun

Find it online: https://thegandmkitchen.com/fresh-herb-focaccia/