Foccacia Bread

A quick and hassle-free vegetarian Italian flatbread which can be a great accompaniment with warm soup. It can also be a great evening snack when served with caesar salad and cheesy dip. You can play around with many of the toppings that you love. But here is my take on the same

Ingredients :

• All-Purpose Flour - 2 Cups.
• Activated Dry yeast- 1 Tbspn
• Sugar- 1Tbspn
• Salt- As per the taste
• Warm Milk- 0.5 cup
• Cherry Tomatoes- 1/2 cup
• A handful of Basil Leaves
• Chopped Garlic- 3 Tbspn
• Mix of Italian Herbs - 1 Tspn
• Chilli Flakes- 1 Tspn
  
• Olive Oil / Butter- 4Tbspn.

Method :

Step 1:  Activate the Instant Dry Yeast.

Take a warm milk in a bowl and add a tbsp of sugar, olive oil and instant dry yeast respectively into it along with with a pinch of salt and mix it well. Leave it aside for 10 mins and wait for the yeast to activate itself. The mixture will appear frothy when it is ready.

Step 2: Knead the Dough.

Take all-purpose flour and salt as per your taste into a big mixing bowl and dig a well into it to add the activated yeast. Then add the mix of milk and activated yeast little at a time and start kneading it into a soft dough with your hands . Knead it for at least 7-8 mins. After that grease that with olive oil, cover it with wet cheesecloth and keep it aside for at least 1-2 hrs or until it doubles up in the size. After 2 hours knead the dough again with the help of some dry flour (1 tbsp) for 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: Add the Flavours.

Slice the cherry tomatoes into quarters, Chop down the basil leaves and garlic.
Now dust the baking dish with oil and flour. Place the dough into the same and make it flat. Punch the holes in the dough with your fingers and add olive oil generously. Also now push tomatoes and basil leaves all over the bread. Load the bread with garlic. Spring it with the herbs and chilli flakes and push everything in the read with the help of a spoon or your fingers.

Now again cover it wet cheesecloth and let the bread rise for next half an hr.

Step 4: Baking Time

Preheat the oven at 180' C for 10-15 minutes. Place the baking dish into the oven and bake it for around 20-25 minutes.  The sign its beautifully done will be that the crust will have become golden brown in colour.

When it's done, take it out and brush it with olive oil. Your bread is ready in Just 4 simple steps.

To add more flavours you can add olives, caramelised onion, jalapeno, sweet corn, chives etc.

Do try this out and let me know how it turned out to be and please do not hesitate to reach me if you have any concerns.


Keep Cooking! Keep Loving!

Signing Off
Nidhi Bharkatiya