Focaccia
The first time I ever tasted “Roman bread” was at Monti’s la Casa Vieja in Tempe, Arizona.
I vowed to find a good focaccia recipe and tweak it to my liking, and this is the result. There is nothing quite like Italian Garlic-Cheese Bread.
Focaccia
The first time I ever tasted “Roman bread” was at Monti’s la Casa Vieja in Tempe, Arizona. I vowed to find a good focaccia recipe and tweak it to my liking, and this is the result. There is nothing quite like Italian Garlic-Cheese Bread.
- Prep Time: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 48 minutes
- Yield: 1 (15 x 10-inch) pan 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 package dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 2/3 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- Fresh or dried rosemary leaves
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in water. Let stand until bubbly.
- Stir in sugar, salt and olive oil.
- Add 2 cups flour and beat until elastic.
- Stir in 2/3 cup more flour. Knead for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Put into a greased bowl. Turn over to coat well. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil.
- Add garlic and cook until soft and yellow. Set aside.
- Punch dough down and knead briefly. Roll with a rolling pin and stretch to fit a greased 15 x 10-inch jellyroll pan (with sides). Pierce dough with the end of a wooden spoon at 1-inch intervals.
- Drizzle garlic and oil all over.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and rosemary.
- Let rise, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes.
Notes
Alternate Toppings
Rosemary: Just before baking, dimple the top of the dough and drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle on 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt and a sprinkling of fresh or dried rosemary leaves.
Provencale: After the dough is stretched into the pan, stir together 1 can plum tomatoes (drained and chopped) and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil. Spread the mixture over the dough. Cover with a towel and let rise until puffy, about 45 minutes.
Dimple the dough again and top with 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 1 can sliced black olives, 4 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt.
