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Focaccia Decorative Loaf

Home cook, taken with iPhone 14. Close-up slight angle of delicious focaccia decorative loaf on white plate. warm appetizing --ar 4:3 --style raw --s 250
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This decorative focaccia loaf features a golden, crispy crust adorned with fresh herbs and olives, offering a flavorful and visually stunning Italian bread perfect for any meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 1 ¼ cups warm water (110°F)
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs
  • Fresh thyme sprigs
  • Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • Sea salt flakes

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar.
  2. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
  3. Add the yeast mixture and ⅓ cup olive oil to the dry ingredients and mix until a sticky dough forms.
  4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  6. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly oil a baking sheet.
  7. Transfer the dough onto the prepared sheet and gently stretch it to form a rectangle about ½ inch thick.
  8. Use your fingers to dimple the surface of the dough deeply.
  9. Arrange rosemary, thyme, and olives decoratively on top, pressing them lightly into the dough.
  10. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
  11. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
  12. Remove from oven and cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Notes

For extra flavor, serve the focaccia warm with a side of roasted garlic-infused olive oil for dipping.

Find it online: https://momsgate.com/focaccia-decorative-loaf/