This focaccia bread is a delicious and versatile Italian flatbread, perfect for serving as an appetizer, side dish, or sandwich base. Its soft, airy texture and golden crust make it a favorite among bread lovers.
The recipe is simple and requires minimal ingredients, allowing you to enjoy freshly baked focaccia in no time. You can customize it with various toppings such as herbs, olives, or sun-dried tomatoes.
Focaccia Bread: A Culinary Delight
Focaccia bread is a beloved Italian flatbread that stands out for its soft texture and golden crust.
This bread is not just a side dish; it can serve as an appetizer or even a sandwich base.
Its versatility makes it a staple in many kitchens, and the aroma of freshly baked focaccia is simply irresistible.
With minimal ingredients, this bread is easy to prepare, allowing anyone to enjoy a homemade treat.
Customization options abound, with various toppings like herbs, olives, or sun-dried tomatoes to enhance its flavor profile.
Creating the Perfect 9×9 Focaccia
Baking focaccia in a 9×9 inch pan results in a thick and fluffy loaf that is both satisfying and delightful.
This method ensures even cooking, allowing the bread to rise beautifully while developing a golden-brown crust.
The process takes about two hours from start to finish, including the necessary rising times.
Once baked, this focaccia yields approximately nine generous pieces, perfect for sharing or enjoying solo.
Ingredients That Make a Difference
The simplicity of the ingredients is one of the highlights of focaccia bread.
All-purpose flour, warm water, active dry yeast, salt, and olive oil come together to create the dough.
Optional ingredients like dried rosemary can be added for an extra layer of flavor.
Coarse sea salt sprinkled on top enhances the overall taste, providing a delightful contrast to the soft interior.
The quality of olive oil used for drizzling can elevate the bread, making it even more enjoyable.
The Baking Process
Starting with activating the yeast is crucial for a successful rise.
Combining warm water with yeast allows it to froth, indicating that it’s ready to work its magic in the dough.
Mixing the dough involves combining flour and salt with the yeast mixture and olive oil until a cohesive dough forms.
Kneading the dough for a few minutes ensures a smooth and elastic texture, essential for a good rise.
Rising to Perfection
After kneading, the dough needs to rise in a warm environment, covered with a damp cloth.
This first rise allows the dough to double in size, creating the airy texture characteristic of focaccia.
Once the dough has risen, it is transferred to a greased 9×9 inch pan, where it will undergo a second rise.
This step is vital for achieving that fluffy interior, so patience is key!
Baking and Serving Your Focaccia
After the second rise, dimpling the dough with fingers creates those signature indentations that hold olive oil and toppings beautifully.
Drizzling with olive oil and sprinkling with coarse sea salt just before baking adds flavor and texture.
Baking the focaccia at a high temperature ensures a crispy crust while keeping the inside soft.
Once out of the oven, allowing it to cool slightly before slicing enhances the experience, making it perfect for dipping in olive oil.
Easy 9×9 Focaccia Bread Recipe
This focaccia bread is baked in a 9×9 inch pan, resulting in a thick, fluffy loaf. The recipe takes about 2 hours from start to finish, including rising time, and serves approximately 9 pieces.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or other herbs (optional)
- Coarse sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until frothy.
- Mix Dough: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil, stirring until a dough forms.
- Knead: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Prepare Pan: Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan with olive oil. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to the pan, spreading it out to fit.
- Second Rise: Cover the pan with a cloth and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Dimple and Top: After the second rise, use your fingers to create dimples in the dough. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary and coarse sea salt.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the focaccia to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Slice and serve warm.
Cook and Prep Times
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Servings: 9 pieces
- Calories: 150kcal
- Fat: 5g
- Protein: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
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