Focaccia
Week #13 in the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge! Focaccia! I was thrilled and couldn’t wait to get started on this bread! It’s one of my favorite Italian breads. Peter’s recipe was another 2 day bread (boo, but I was looking forward to the end product).
Of course Marta was standing by, she’d be co-piloting on this one as well. Focaccia can have an abundance of toppings and as with most Italian recipes the specialties vary by region. The crust on this bread is of monumental importance. You’ve can’t have an authentic Focaccia bread without a good crust. Punto! (Period) This is a rustic bread that you can enjoy many ways. I love a warm slice straight out of the oven (Yes, you know by now I’m extremely impatient and can never wait for the cooling off period LOL) Or even a great panino made with it! Divine. It also is great as a pizza dough!
I opted to go with the herb oil as the topping on my Focaccia, with fresh herbs from my garden (rosemary, basil, oregano & parsley) with some gah-lick thrown in for good measure of course. I LOVED this bread. I would however cut back on the amount of herb oil that Mr. Reinhart called for. I love herb oils & would ONLY cut back on it because it spewed off the sides of my baking sheet causing my oven to smoke violently during cooking. Luckily the bread was not affected & the smoke alarms in the house didn’t go off and send the Mayberry Fire Department to my house. I did however have to open all the windows & doors & wait a bit to take the photo LOL but nonetheless it was divine (with no trace of smoke flavor at all LOL) Whew!
Here is a look at what went into making Focaccia…
Sneak Peek: Next week’s challenge: French Bread!
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Beautiful Foassia!
Paula! This looks amazing. And I’m glad that there wasn’t a trace of smoke flavors in the bread! That wouldn’t have been good… Great post and photos!
I love foccacia bread. I’ve always wondered how to make it. I’m definitely saving this recipe.
that looks amazing!
Wow. Great looking focaccia and fabulous post! I really admire the style of your blog!
I’ve always been afraid to make focaccia, but reading your post gives me some confidence!
this was wonderful bread…thanks for the slices..
Absolutely beautiful! I’m glad to hear that someone who really knows focaccia likes this recipe. I’m excited to try it now. Great pictures, too.
Great looking focaccia. I’m doing a catch-up day for bba next week… I think I’m about 3-4 behind!
you are so talented Paula so pleased to know you inspiring
okay, i feel stupid….where is the actual recipe? am i looking in the wrong place? it looks amazing.
Thank you Jill….I was starting to think I was going nuts looking for a secret hiding place for the actual recipes to these Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge breads. I especially am interested in this Focaccia and the Corn Bread.
Hi Stephen! This was an amazing bread. Although every other food post contains the recipe, I am not posting the recipes for the bread baker’s apprentice challenge breads. You can find the recipes in Peter Reinhart’s book of the same name. It’s an amazing book & I highly recommend it. In the meantime, yoiu can also find the recipes online by googling Peter Reinhart & the recipe you are looking for! Hope that helps!
Looks so light and fluffy!
This looks delicious - I LOVE foccacia!
Can’t wait to get to this. It sounds delicious!
My apartment FILLED with smoke, too! It was so scary. I stopped baking it a few minutes early because I was terrified by the amount of smoke. (That, and the husband could not breathe…) It tasted SO good though…totally worth it.
Your bread looked delicious…congrats!
Simply beautiful, perfect foccacia! Sons will love this!