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homemade focaccia

Homemade Focaccia

Thermomix instructions for this recipe are included as well as how to make it sans Thermomix. This is a very versatile recipe that lends itself to a variety of concoctions added to it.

Course Bread
Cuisine Canadian Italian
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Author Valerie Lugonja

Ingredients

  • 50 g Parmesan cheese
  • 230 g water
  • 20 g yeast fresh or non-instant
  • 5 g salt (but I usually leave this out due to the Parmesan and the salt on top)
  • 350 g flour
  • 20 g olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons flat leafed parsley leaves and tender stems finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves only, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoons rosemary needles only, finely chopped

Garnish

  • 1 teaspoon course sea salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 stems rosemary needles

Instructions

Instructions for the Thermomix:

  1. Prepare herbs; set aside
  2. Weigh Parmesan cheese in TM bowl; grate for 1 second on Turbo 3 times

  3. Weigh flour and yeast into TM bowl on top of cheese; mix to combine for 5 seconds, speed 3-4

  4. Weigh salt into TM bowl; mix to combine for 5 seconds, speed 3-4 

  5. Weigh olive oil and tepid water into TM bowl; mix to combine for 10 seconds, speed 4-7 until ingredients clump together into a ball

  6. Set time to 2 1/2 minutes; speed on Knead

  7. After two minutes, put minced herbs into TM bowl through hole in lid while still kneading

  8. Prepare 2.2 litre ThermoServer just before placing dough into it to proof by pouring boiling or hot water into its cavity, sit for 15 seconds, remove, dry completely and coat lightly with olive oil OR lightly oil a bowl

  9. Dust hand lightly, but completely, with flour; remove dough from TM bowl with that hand (prevents sticking) and place dough inside ThermoServer to proof OR place in prepared bowl covered with damp cloth, then...

  10. Place full glass of water into microwave on high for one minute; remove and place dough quickly into the warm humid environment to proof

  11. Proof dough 45 minutes or until double in size
  12. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F; cover baking sheet with parchment paper

  13. Once dough has doubled in size; gently loosen sides of dough with D-shaped spatula, working to not deflate any of the air

  14. Turn bowl of dough completely upside down in middle of parchment paper on baking sheet (Plop!)

  15. Dock surface of dough with docker or dimple it with fingers (only about ¾ of the way into the dough with your docker or finger tips)

  16. Fill dimples with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil (approximately - drizzle over surface of dough)

  17. Sprinkle generous amount of crystal sea salt (larger crystals) over surface (a touch more than you think would be needed as this is to be a salty crust)

  18. Add rosemary needles randomly over top in a rustic fashion, to garnish

  19. Bake 25 minutes

  20. If top is not golden, turn on grill for one minute, watching closely, and turning pan once during this time, to ensure even browning on the surface of the crust

  21. Rest crusty bread 20 minutes before slicing; serve with dipping oil or a mixture of oil and balsamic vinegar (If you can't wait 20 minutes, use a serated knife, place loaf on end vertically, and slice)

  22. Get ready to hear a lot of lip smacking groans of pleasure

Instructions for the Dough without the Thermomix:

  1. Shred the Parmesan cheese: freshly grated cheese makes a big difference to the flavour of this bread
  2. Measure all other dry ingredients into a large bowl; sift through fingers to combine
  3. Measure liquid ingredients in another small pouring vessel and pour into the dry ingredient bowl along the sides; work to combine the moisture into the dry ingredients with your hands and fingers until the mixture begins to form a ball
  4. Add the herbs; continue to combine the ingredients into a ball
  5. When the dough comes together, begin to knead it, using only a lightly (lightly) floured surface and a bakers scraping spatula to assist with the kneading and counter cleaning (back into the dough) as you knead
  6. When you have kneaded the dough until elastic, coat a medium bowl with a little olive oil
  7. Place the dough into the olive oil bowl to proof (45 minutes to one hour); covered
  8. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F
  9. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper
  10. Carefully turn bowl of dough upside down on the baking sheet covered with the paper; do not deflate the dough
  11. Dock the surface of the dough
  12. Pour a good 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the surface of the dough, ensuring that lots stays inside of the little holes made by docking it with your fingers, or a docker
  13. Sprinkle a generous amount of crystal or large chunky sea salt over the surface (a touch more than you think would be needed)
  14. Add garnish: rosemary, sliced olives, sun-dried tomato chunks (whatever you like and whatever is in the bread)
  15. Bake for 25 minutes; turn off the oven and leave for 10 more minutes
  16. Rest crusty bread 20 minutes before slicing and serve with dipping oil or a mixture of oil and balsamic vinegar (get ready to hear a lot of lip smacking groans)

Recipe Notes

Parmesan cheese must be at room or refrigerator temperature as a blade may become engorged in frozen cheese and damage the Thermomix machine
The only time yeast needs to proof with water and sugar is if it might be old; if it is recently purchase, or used regularly, it can be very effectively and simply worked into the flour as done here
Tepid water is room temperature: it should feel neither warm, nor cool. If necessary, err on the side or ever so slightly warm.
Alternatives:
The possibilities are endless with this recipe. Make it your own. Add:

• ½ cup of sliced olives, removing the pits
• ½ cup of finely chopped sundried tomatoes
• ½ cup chopped roasted garlic
• or any combination of the above or whatever else you think you may enjoy
Always garnish the top of the loaf with what is in the loaf, so if you have:
• olives and herbs in it; garnish with sliced olives and herbs
• sundried tomatoes and herbs in it; garnish with sundried tomato slivers and herbs
• roasted garlic and herbs in it; garnish with roasted garlic chunks and herbs