Description
This Garlic Parmesan Focaccia recipe offers a flavorful and aromatic bread experience with a perfect balance of garlic-infused olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan, and optional herb accents like rosemary and oregano. The focaccia is characterized by its airy, soft crumb and crisp golden crust, making it ideal as a side, appetizer, or snack. This step-by-step baking guide ensures a delightful homemade Italian bread that is both simple to prepare and irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 500g (about 4 cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 10g (2 teaspoons) instant dry yeast
- 10g (2 teaspoons) granulated sugar
- 15g (2 1/2 teaspoons) kosher salt
- 400ml (1 3/4 cups) lukewarm water (about 105-115°F)
- 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil, plus more for drizzling and greasing
Garlic Parmesan Topping
- 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
- 100g (about 1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (optional, but highly recommended!)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a little kick)
- Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, and salt. Ensure the yeast and salt do not touch directly to avoid inhibiting yeast activation.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the lukewarm water and olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms and ingredients are roughly combined.
- First Rise (Bulk Fermentation): Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Stretch and Fold (Optional): After the first hour, perform 4-5 stretch and folds by grabbing the dough edge, stretching it upward, and folding it onto itself, rotating the bowl 90 degrees to repeat. Cover and let rise an additional 30 minutes.
- Infuse the Oil: While dough rises, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-low heat in a small saucepan. Add minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Combine Topping Ingredients: In a small bowl, mix the cooled garlic-infused oil with grated Parmesan, chopped rosemary, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Prepare the Baking Sheet: Generously grease a 9×13 inch baking sheet with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Transfer the Dough: Gently transfer the risen dough to the prepared baking sheet, using your hands to avoid deflating the dough too much.
- Stretch and Dimple: Stretch the dough evenly to fill the baking sheet. Use your fingertips to create deep dimples all over the surface, which will hold the flavorful topping.
- Second Rise (Proofing): Cover the baking sheet and let the dough rise for another 30-45 minutes, allowing it to become puffy and the dimples to remain well-defined.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure a hot baking environment for a crispy crust.
- Add the Topping: Drizzle the prepared garlic Parmesan mixture evenly over the dimpled dough, making sure some topping settles into each dimple. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes for added texture and flavor.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes until the focaccia is golden brown on top and crispy on the bottom.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use lukewarm water (105-115°F) to activate the yeast properly without killing it.
- Stretch and fold technique helps develop gluten and improve dough structure but is optional.
- The garlic-infused oil should be cooked gently to avoid burning the garlic, which can make it bitter.
- Fresh rosemary enhances flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Sea salt flakes add a pleasant crunch and should be sprinkled just before baking.
- Focaccia can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for longer preservation.
- For a softer crust, cover the focaccia with a clean towel after baking while it cools.
