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Authentic Italian Focaccia Bread Recipe

focaccia bread recipe

This is an authentic focaccia bread recipe that comes from a fantastic cookbook by Judith Fertig called The Artisan Bread Machine: 250 Recipes for Breads, Rolls, Flatbreads and Pizzas.

The cookbook is filled with fabulous bread recipes all of which can be made in a bread machine.


So often bread machine recipes are the same old, same old, but not this time.

Take this focaccia bread for example. Not only does Judith use authentic Italian flavors to top the bread. She even calls for the correct flour!

You will notice something called doppio zero flour in the recipe.

Judith has this to say about the flour:
“To make authentic focaccia, you need to use doppio zero flour, which is milled from a soft red wheat that has just 8% to 8.5% protein, giving the bread a lighter texture and a finer crumb. The slurry of water, olive oil and salt provides the true focaccia flavor.”

“Doppio zero” just means double zero, which in Italy signifies flour that has been ground so fine it has the texture of talcum powder (but not the taste thankfully).

If you can’t find the flour called for use all-purpose flour instead. It may not turn out exactly the same, but it will still be amazingly good.

Give this delectable Italian bread recipe the next time you are serving an Italian style dinner.

It also makes a great addition to a dinner bread basket.

You can chop the rosemary a bit before sprinkling it over the unbaked bread.

foccacia bread

Authentic Italian Focaccia Bread Recipe

This is an authentic focaccia bread recipe that comes from a fantastic cookbook that is full of great bread recipes like this one.
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 172 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, or fine kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm water (see tip, at left)
  • 2 1/2 cups flour, doppio zero or all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast, or instant
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or fine kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

Instructions
 

Dough:

  • Add salt and water to the bread pan. Spoon flour on top of liquid. Add yeast.
  • Select the Dough cycle and press Start.
  • When the cycle is finished, transfer dough to the prepared pan. Using your hands, spread dough to fit the pan. Press the surface of the dough with your fingertip or knuckle to make random dimples. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Topping:

  • In a small bowl, combine water, oil and salt. Brush this mixture over the dough. Sprinkle with the rosemary. Let rise while the oven is preheating.
  • Bake the focaccia bread for 27 to 30 minutes or until the top of the dough is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf registers 190°F (90°C).
  • Let the bread cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 to 20 minutes, then cut into 8 pieces and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 172kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 5gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 444mgPotassium: 64mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 7IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Tips:

  • Ideally, the water should be between 86°F and 95°F (30°C and 35°C), the temperature range in which yeast is most active. Warm it in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove, and check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer.
  • If your dough does not form a ball during the first few minutes of kneading, do one of two things: if the dough looks dry and crumbly, add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water at 1-minute intervals until the dough forms a ball; if the dough looks wet, add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) doppio zero flour at 1-minute intervals until the dough forms a ball.

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If you like this focaccia bread and want to make more Italian bread recipes in the bread machine, look here for our bread machine pizza dough recipe (and a great topping recipe too!).

I think you are going to love this recipe. If you do, I’d love it if you would share it on your favorite social media sites. Thanks.


foccacia bread



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