Feb 12, 20223 min read

Herbs & Olive Focaccia

Makes 24 pieces

This focaccia uses the same dough as my rosemary focaccia but I’ve changed the spices and toppings. This is what is great about focaccia you can add whatever you want either into the dough or on top of it. Great with a large salad or soup or as a side to any meal.

Since its winter and I can’t try it in our outdoor wood burning oven I’ve made it on our pizza stone set on high in the oven. If you don’t have a pizza stone, no worries as I’ve given you the option to put it on a baking sheet and hopefully you will get the same results.

Ingredients

½ cup olive oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp dried chives

1 cup warm water

2 ½ tsp instant yeast

½ tsp honey

2 ½ cups flour

½ tsp salt

Dried rosemary and thyme for sprinkling

Olives chopped into chunks

Shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

In a sauce pan add oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme and chives. Place pan on medium heat and cook stirring occasionally for 5 – 10 minutes. If garlic is starting to brown it is done. Pour into a measuring cup and let cool
In another measuring cup combine water, yeast and honey and whisk together. Let sit for 5 minutes
Pour yeast mixture into a large bowl, add ¾ of the oil mixture and mix together
Whisk in 1 cup of flour making sure it is incorporated into the liquid. Let sit 5 minutes
Add the rest of the flour and salt and bring dough together with your hands
Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth.
May take up to 20 times of kneading. Make a ball out of the dough
Oil a large bowl and transfer the ball of dough into it
Cover bowl with saran wrap and top with a tea towel
Place in a warm spot and let dough rise to double in size, about an hour but may take longer if house is cool. I’ve placed it in front of my fireplace as that is the warmest place in the house
Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 450°F (you will want at 1 hour of heating for the stone to be hot enough) If you don’t use a pizza stone then preheat oven prior to making focaccia on baking sheet

Once dough has doubled use one of these options:

Cooking on Pizza Stone

Turn a large baking sheet upside down and line it with parchment paper
Place dough onto parchment paper
Press and shape dough to form a rectangle shape that is about ½ inch thick
Pour the rest of the oil mixture on top of dough and using your hand dimple the dough and smear the oil all over the dough
Spread olives and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme and parmesan cheese. I only made half the focaccia with olives as some don’t like them
Cover dough with tea towel and let rise for ½ hour
Transfer parchment paper and focaccia onto pizza stone
After focaccia has baked for five minutes pull out the parchment paper, it will slide out easily
Bake until golden brown, about 15 – 20 minutes
Let focaccia cool on wire rack

Cooking in Baking Sheet

Brush the baking sheet with some oil mixture
Turn the dough into the baking sheet and using your hands press the dough into the baking sheet
Pour the rest of the oil mixture on top of dough and using your hand dimple the dough and smear the oil all over the dough
Cover dough with tea towel and let rise for ½ hour
Spread olives and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme and parmesan cheese. I only made half the focaccia with olives as some don’t like them
Bake until golden brown, about 15 – 20 minutes
Let focaccia cool on wire rack