Focaccine

focaccine

Focaccine are mini versions of our favorite Italian flatbread, soft and fluffy on the inside with a crunchy crust. Perfect for making sandwiches and filling with all your favorite cured meats and cheeses. These are little bread pillows, rich with olive oil and with airy bubbles.

The dough for focaccine is simple, no-knead and does not require a mixer or special equipment. I’m forever amazed how only a few simple ingredients can create a multitude of different beautiful yeasty bread products.

Focaccine can be left plain with just olive oil and salt, or “decorated” with a multitude of other Italian flavors like herbs, tomatoes or olives.

Ingredients

• Flour – type 00 and manitoba
• Warm water
• Yeast
• Sugar
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

I like a mix of type 00 flour and a strong flour like manitoba or bread flour. The 00 is finely ground and allows for a soft dough. Mixed with a strong flour, it creates a dynamic dough with a strong gluten network and delicate crumb.

Step by Step

Let’s get started making this one bowl, no-knead focaccine bread dough!

First, weigh both flours into a large bowl. Whisk in the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Instant dry yeast doesn’t need to be activated in water first and can be added straight into the dry ingredients. Sugar helps to jump start the activation of the yeast.

Pour in the lukewarm water and mix until all the flour is incorporated, and a shaggy dough begins to form. I strongly recommend using your hands. It’s our best mixing tool and it helps you understand and learn how dough feels at different stages of the bread making process. How wet or dry is the dough? Is it lumpy or smooth?

Add the olive oil and salt. Use your whole hand to squeeze the oil into the dough to incorporate it. At first, it might not seem like it will come together, but just keep going. Work and massage the dough until you achieve a homogeneous ball. It will still be wet and sticky and that’s good! Don’t add more flour.

Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature.

After 30 minutes, make folds in the dough. Since it is so sticky, wet your fingers first, and then make a digging motion, scooping the dough from the outside and folding it in towards the center. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat all the way around.

Repeat this step after the next 30 minutes.

Then let the dough rest another 1 hour, undisturbed.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 8-10 pieces, depending if you want small or medium focaccine, 70-90g each.

Form each piece into a ball by pulling the outsides into the middle and pinching. Then roll it over so the seam is on the bottom. Make a cage over the ball with your fingers and gently make a circular motion around the ball. This will make the ball smooth with the top taut.

Then, make each ball into a disc, either with a rolling pin or by pressing it out with your fingers. You can also pick up the disc and stretch it out, like you’re making pizza dough. They should be roughly 1cm thick. Place the discs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C.

Drizzle or brush each focaccine with olive oil and use your fingers to gently spread the oil over the entire surface of each disc.

Then just with your fingertips, press into the dough to create dimples. Sprinkle course sea salt over the top. Optionally, you can add other toppings like rosemary or halved cherry tomatoes.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Tips and FAQs

Tips for Focaccine Success

• Use warm water to create a smooth, homogeneous dough.
• Use your hands to mix the dough – it’s our best tool!
• Make folds in the dough every 30 minutes to create more air bubbles.

How to Serve Focaccine

These mini focaccias can be served plain as an accompaniment to your lunch or dinner, or stuff them to make a variety of delicious focaccine sandwiches for the perfect picnic food!

They would also be great dipped in soup – try broccoli asparagus soup or vegetable orzo soup!

Storage

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Focaccine can also be frozen! Once baked and completely cooled, place in a plastic freezer bag and freeze.

Substitutions

• Bread flour can be substituted in an equal amount for the manitoba flour.

Try experimenting with other flours using whatever you have on hand! You can substitute in 100g of whole wheat flour or semolina flour! Just keep the total flour amount 400g.

Alternatively, all 400g of type 00 flour can be used as well.

Be aware that different flour absorbs water differently, so adjust accordingly. If your dough is too dry, add warm water one tablespoon at a time until you have a soft, wet ball. The final dough should be well hydrated and too sticky to knead.

More Italian Bread Recipes

Focaccia Barese

Red Onion Focaccia

Tigelle Bread

Ciabatta Breadsticks

Focaccine Recipe