Roasted Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Bread
I can not bake as well as my wife. She would say that I am horrible at baking, and it is true. I can cook food, and I can make desserts if someone else does the bread or cake part. Lucky for me, I married the most beautiful baker in the world, and she is amazing at all things baking. Including one of the most delicious breads ever, Focaccia.
NOTE: If your wife is making this, make sure to make her a nice cold Aperol spritz while cooking it. These nice gestures will get you more bread in the future…
My mother’s mother, Nonie J., was a master baker. She grew up baking in her father’s bakery, and I was very lucky to watch her work. My mom learned from her, and she taught me. Now again, I can’t bake, so all of those lessons were wasted on me. On the other hand, my wife got it down on the first try.
The Recipe
prep time 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES
cook time 20 MINUTES
total time 2 HOUR
Roasted garlic-scented rosemary focaccia bread is perfect for pasta night or when guests come over! We made this before a dinner party and the entire kitchen smelled amazing. Below is the step-by-step recipe my wife and mom created it is a pain in the ass lots of prep but the result is amazing and beautiful.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup warm water (105-110ºF to be exact)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 (0.25 ounce) packet of instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more (see notes – you need to dust the board)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary (plus more)
- 1/4 cup roasted garlic, roughly chopped
- flaked sea salt (for topping)
1
To make the dough, add warm water, sugar, and yeast to a 2-cup measuring cup. Stir the mixture and let the yeast bloom for 15 minutes. You’ll notice that the yeast will become foamy and bubbly towards the end of the 15 minutes.
2
In the meantime, you should add the flour, salt, 1/4 cup of olive oil, chopped rosemary, and roasted garlic to the bowl of a stand mixer. Then, attach the dough hook and briefly turn the mixer on to allow the ingredients to mix together. While the mixer is running on low, pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium and let the mixer run for 4-5 minutes. If all the flour doesn’t incorporate fully, stop the mixer and scrape the dough. If the dough seems too sticky after 5 minutes, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of flour and form it into a ball using your hands.
3
After kneading the dough, transfer it into a large bowl that has been greased with olive oil. Rub a small amount of olive oil on the surface of the dough and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap. Leave it to rest in a warm place for about 1 to 1 and a half hours or until it has nearly doubled in size.
4
To begin, position a rack at the center of your oven and preheat it to 400ºF. Next, take half of the remaining olive oil (2 tbsp) and use it to grease the bottom of a 9×13 dish. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and transfer it into the prepared dish. Then, using your fingers, gently push the dough out so that it fits the pan. Once done, cover the dough with the plastic wrap and leave it to sit for 20 minutes.
5
Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the dough. Using your fingers, poke holes in the surface of the dough (seriously, poke all the way to the pan!) Sprinkle some additional rosemary, if desired, and some flaked sea salt. Bake the bread for 20-25 minutes or until it turns golden brown on top and is cooked all the way through. Once done, remove it from the oven, drizzle or brush a little bit more olive oil over it, and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving!
The results of this are amazing. If you are hungry for Italian food we got you! Ultimately we had a wonderful dinner party that night. Below are the results of my wife and I’s efforts.
More recipes are coming!
Looks delicious !