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Herbed Focaccia Bread

Source of Recipe

From "Trisha's Kitchen" by Trisha Yearwood


Recipe Introduction

"Beth's friend Leeann is a gifted and generous baker. She always takes extra loaves of this toasted herbed focaccia over to Beth for her family to enjoy. To make this bread for yourself, just remember the dough needs to rise for several hours, so I suggest you start the day before you want to serve the bread and let the dough rise in the fridge overnight. Beth's youngest, Bret, loves this focaccia so much that every time he's home from college, he always asks if Leeann has any extra she needs to get rid of! Both the dough and the baked bread freeze well, and if you ever have leftovers, it makes tasty croutons."

List of Ingredients

◦ � cup olive oil, plus more for topping
◦ 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
◦ � teaspoon granulated garlic
◦ 3 cups all-purpose flour
◦ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
◦ 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
◦ 2 teaspoons honey
◦ 1 � cups warm water
◦ � cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
◦ 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt


Recipe

In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, Italian seasoning, and garlic and slowly warm over low heat to infuse the oil, stirring occasionally so the herbs don't burn, until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast.
Add the honey to the warm water and stir to dissolve, then stir the honey mixture into the flour mixture along with � cup of the infused olive oil. Stir together until combined enough to turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough by hand 4 to 6 times until the dough is just formed and sticky.

Pour the remaining infused oil into a large bowl (see Tip). Form the dough into a nice ball, then add the dough to the bowl and roll it over to coat with the oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

The next day, coat a 13 by 18-inch baking sheet with a generous rub of olive oil. Pour the dough into the prepared pan and gently press it out in the pan. Don't worry if it doesn't fill the pan, as it will rise. Cover the pan lightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise. The dough will rise and spread in the pan, depending on the warmth of your kitchen, 30 to 60 minutes.

While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 450� F.
Once the dough is ready, use your fingertips to make gentle dimples in the dough. Then brush with � cup olive oil so the dough is coated and some dimples are little bowls of oil. Sprinkle the Asiago and flaky salt on top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Makes 1 large loaf





❧ Tip:
Make sure the bowl you put the dough in is big enough for the dough to double in size.