Focaccia Bread (A La the Nut)

At Chestnut, if you didn’t have time to eat a lot at staff meal, which was usually the case, we snacked on this bread when no one was looking. Enjoy! 

Equipment

• Mixing machine with dough hook

• Stainless steel bowl

• 9x13 Sheet pan

• Dough scraper

• Cooling rack

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups water, warm ((86-90F))

• 2 tsp active dry yeast ((For pizza 2.25))

• 2 ½-2 ¾ cups AP flour

• 1 tbsp chopped rosemary

• 1 ½ tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt

• Maldon salt

• Lots of olive oil

Directions

1. Heat your oven at 400 degrees. Mix yeast sugar warm water in a mixing bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.

2. Add flour and salt into bowl, mix on low speed with a dough hook for 2 minutes, then on high for 3 minutes. The dough should be very wet, combined and start pulling away from the bowl.

3. Put the bowl on top of your stove where it is warmest to help proof the dough for 10 minutes.

4. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil onto a sheet pan. Pan should have a layer of olive oil on the bottom. Using the dough scraper again, pour the dough into the sheet pan. Spread out with your oily hands. Careful not to flatten the dough too much. Let proof on top of the oven for 7-10 more minutes. Dimple the top with pads of your fingers. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the dough and add Maldon salt, chopped rosemary and any other toppings (roasted garlic) you might want to use. Let proof on top of the oven for 5-10 more minutes. Careful not to over proof the dough.

5. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Turn the pan around slowly. There is a lot of olive oil in the pan and you don't want to spill it in the oven. Bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the top of your bread is golden brown. If you lift the bread, the bottom should have a really nice crispy bottom. Immediately, transfer the bread to a cooling rack and spread olive oil on top. 

6. Once the bread cools down, slice and serve warm.

Notes

You can proof it in the pan just once instead of twice if you need to save time. Lasts about 2-3 days if it's not eaten up already. Put it in the toaster oven to reheat. Great sandwich bread or warm bread for salads.