No-Knead Focaccia Bread

 No-Knead Focaccia Bread

This bread is incredibly easy to make. It just involves a bit of preparation in advance. the recipe says to make up the yeast starter and  mixture (steps 1 and 2) the night before, but it works just as well making it several hours (at least 4) in advance of when you wan the bread.

Ingredients

Yeast starter: 

¼ cup semolina 

½ tsp instant dry yeast 

80ml warm water

Bread Mix

3 cups plain flour (tipo 00 flour or high grade)

1 tsp sea salt 

320ml warm water 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 

Topping

Sea salt 

and

¼ cup crispy fried shallots 

1 tsp chilli flakes (optional) 

or 

rosemary and thyme

olives 

or 

cherry tomatoes

 

Steps

1. To make the yeast starter, combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and set aside for 1 hour or until thick and foamy.

2. Combine the flour and salt in a very large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add the semolina mixture, 320ml water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to stir to combine. Drizzle with a little extra oil. Cover and set aside overnight to rise. 

3. Use a spatula to slide under the dough reaching halfway and pull the dough up over itself. Repeat, turning the bowl 4 more times.  

4. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray with baking paper. Drizzle over about a tablespoon of olive oil. Brush to cover the base. Scrape the dough gently into the prepared pan. Use lightly oiled fingers to press gently into the pan until it resists. Set aside for 1 hour, covered, gently pressing the dough to reach the corners of the pan every so often.  

5. Preheat oven to 230°C/450°F. 

6. Use oiled fingertips to press deep holes into the dough. Whisk together 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Pour over the dough. Sprinkle with sea salt, crispy shallots and chilli flakes, if using. Bake for 15-20 mins or until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when you tap it.

Focaccia Bread

This bread is one I make about once a fortnight. It always works!
It's great toasted or made into bruschetta.
Its from my original Wild Yeast and Sugar Pie blog.

Isabella says - Scrum-diddily-umpchous!

Focaccia Bread

1 1/2 cups of warm water

2 tablespoons of olive oil

4 1/4 cups of bread flour (high grade)

2 tsp of salt

2 tsp of sugar
2 tsp of yeast

1 cube of frozen pesto (or Italian Herb Mix)

Fresh rosemary, thyme and flaky sea salt

Optional: cherry tomatoes or olives

Put wet ingredients in first, followed by dry and pesto.

Set bread maker to 'dough setting'

Once dough is made, spread on oven tray lined with baking paper and sprinkled with flour in a large flat oval shape and leave to rise in a slightly warm oven for a few hours (or over night).

Once it has risen, rub gently with more olive oil, sprinkle with fresh rosemary and thyme and a lot of flaky sea salt. Press cherry tomatoes or olives gently into dough to decorate.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 200 degrees.