Originally found in Etruscan era Italy, Focaccia is one of my favorite breads because of its ease of preparation, taste and its resemblance to rustic freeform slab pottery. It tastes equally good dipped into soups, chili, hummus and wrapped around grilled meats.
This flat bread topped with herbs, olive oil, sea salt and thinly sliced vegetables was in use for thousands of years around the Mediterranean, before it morphed into pizza. The basic recipe has survived unchanged from the time of Rome and Pompeii. In the beginning, focaccia was baked on a heated tile, earthenware disc or on the hearth of a hot fire, with bakers puncturing the bread to prevent the formation of large bubbles on the surface. Alternatively, they used needles and dotted the bread in regular patterns, sometimes poking it with the handle of a utensil.
One of the most important ingredients of focaccia was and is olive oil (a great selection of good oils can be found at Oliveto in Roanoke), which was slathered on top of the dough as a means to preserve moisture after cooking. Early on, focaccia was sold by street vendors or dedicated bakery shops and evidence still remains in excavated Roman sites of the widespread industry of creating and selling focaccia.
Flavorings and toppings vary by region to this day, with Americans favoring rosemary, sage, garlic, and onions. In France, the bread is known as fougasse, in Argentina fugazza and in Spain, hogaza.
Focaccia Bread with Olives
- 1 teaspoon cornmeal
- 3 ¼ cups all purpose flour, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 envelope quick acting yeast
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 ¼ cups green and black olives with pits taken out
- 1 cup sliced red or Vidalia onion
- 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 Teaspoons sea salt
Spray a 9” x 13” baking sheet with non-stick spray and sprinkle with cornmeal.
Mix flour, salt, yeast, 2 Tablespoons olive oil and the water until dough comes together and add ½ cup of chopped olives. Keep mixing for 6-7 minutes. Form the dough into a ball with your hands.
Transfer the dough to a bowl rubbed lightly with olive oil. Cover and let rise for 60-90 minutes until dough has almost doubled in size.
Dump the dough onto a floured work surface. Punch the air out of the dough and divide into four equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and roll out to about 6 inches wide. Place dough circles onto the prepared baking sheet. Pour olive oil over each and press into it with fingertips to make dimples in the dough.
Top each with onion slices, more chopped olives and fresh thyme. Sprinkle with sea salt, cover loosely with a towel and let rest 30-40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Once the dough has risen slightly, place the loaves into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
After the focaccia has come out of the oven, brush with more olive oil and sprinkle with extra sea salt if desired.
About the Writer:
Rebecca Jackson is a veteran newspaper person/journalist based in Bedford County, VA. A native of California and an M.A. graduate of Arizona State University, she has a passion for pets (animals), good food/cooking, music, wine, horticulture, photography and travel.
