Warm bread is delicious and it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t like it. With many types and flavors, the magic of this food lies in its variety: the combination of flour and water can yield a wide variety of breads.

Whether it’s firmer, fluffier, crusty or soft, what matters is that there’s always a bread you can call your own. Focaccia is a delicious bread made with a lot of olive oil. It is flat, almost like a pizza, but with a light and airy crumb. Check it out:

FOCACCIA

Ingredients:

• 500 g flour

• 250 ml water

• 50 ml extra virgin olive oil

• 18 g fresh yeast or 6 g fast-acting dry yeast

• 18 g sugar

• 15 g salt

To finish:

• Fleur de sel or coarse salt to taste

• Rosemary to taste

• 80 ml olive oil

• 40 ml water

Preparation method:

Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, water and olive oil in a bowl. Knead until the dough is smooth. Add the salt and knead for 10 more minutes. Let the mixture rest in a warm spot, covered with plastic wrap, until it doubles in size.

Then spread the dough out into the shape of a roasting pan. Line the roasting pan with waxed paper and grease the paper with olive oil.

Place the dough on the paper and let it rise again until it doubles in size. Make a mixture with 80 ml of olive oil and 40 ml of water and blend in the blender or with an immersion blender. Pour the olive oil and water mixture over the dough, making holes with your fingers to reach the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle it with rosemary and fleur de sel and bake it in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 45 minutes. Let the bread rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife (bread knife) with back and forth movements so you don’t crush the bread.

The versatility of Focaccia makes it a great base for many preparations. It can be served as an appetizer, a side dish with meals or even as stuffed sandwiches. So, enjoy the recipe and use your imagination and creativity to make great combinations!