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Italian focaccia
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5 from 1 vote

Italian focaccia

Always wanted to prepare at home a true Italian focaccia but always thought it was too difficult? Follow this instructions and you will love the results. TIP: here I use my homemade sourdough, for a focaccia than can last a couple of days, but for sure you will eat it well in advance!
Prep Time20 hours
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time20 hours 25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: street food, tasty
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 250kcal
Author: Roberto
Cost: $ 0.5

Equipment

  • Mixer (optional, but highly recommended due to high hydration)
  • bowl
  • spoon
  • Baking tin

Ingredients

  • 320 gr wheat flour type '0'
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 spoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 80 gr sourdough liquid (100% hydration)
  • 170 gr water
  • 3 spoon extra virgin olive oil for topping
  • q.s. coarse salt for topping
  • 1 sprig rosemary for topping

Instructions

  • Mix the flour with the salt, then start adding the water. Add the sourdough (detail).
    Italian focaccia
  • Always mixing, add the water and oil, until you obtain a smooth dough. (It usually takes about 15 minutes).
    Italian focaccia
  • Let the dough leaven in a bowl, covered with a transparent film, at ambient temperature. It should double its size in 3 to 4 hours. Otherwise (my best choice), let is leaven in the fridge, for about 18-20 hours.
    Italian focaccia
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and gently put it on a kitchen top (or a chopping board) with some flour.
    Italian focaccia
  • Use your fingertips to shape the dough and let some of the air leave the dough. Put the dough into an oiled baking tin.
    Italian focaccia
  • After a second leavening of about two hours, make dimples in the dough with your fingertips, add the extra-virgin olive oil, the salt and the rosemary on top.
    Italian focaccia
  • Turn on the oven at 200 °C (i.e. 392 °F) and after a brief rest of 15 minutes, put the tin into the oven.
    Italian focaccia
  • After 20-25 minutes your Italian focaccia is ready. Buon appetito :)
    Italian focaccia

Notes

Topping can be changed according to your personal taste. I love rosemary, but sliced onion, olives, sage are other great options.
You can have focaccia alone, but I definitely recommend to cut it half and dress it with mortadella, ham or fresh cheese! You will thank me :)
A more complex topic is the one regarding the yeast choice. The same recipe can be tried with dry yeast, but in this case you need to consider:
  • 80 gr of liquid sourdough (100% hydration) equals to 40 gr of wheat flour and 40 gr of water, so adjust accordingly
  • timings must be reduced: first growth usually will take about 3-4 hours, while after being put on the baking bin 1 hour will be enough.