Garlic-Buttered Focaccia from Scratch

Name: Garlic-Buttered Focaccia from Scratch
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g bread flour, 12–13% protein (all-purpose works too; bread flour gives more chew, and the chew matters in a focaccia); 8 g salt; 7 g instant yeast (dry or fresh yeast: soak 10 minutes in the water first and check for bubbles); 340 ml lukewarm water; 10 g sugar; 10 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus a generous amount for the baking tin; 2 tbsp water + 2 tbsp olive oil, mixed, for the dimples; a small touch flaky salt; optional toppings: sun-dried tomatoes, olives, Italian herbs; 230 g softened unsalted butter; 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 30 g Italian flat parsley, finely chopped (a handful); 30 g grated Parmesan cheese

3 hrs 20 min total 8 servings easy

breadbakingitaliangarlicsnack

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min · Rest 2 hrs 30 min

We all know focaccia is amazingly delicious, but combine it with homemade garlic bread and you're ready for takeoff to flavor planet. This garlic butter focaccia recipe makes the focaccia from scratch and then transforms it into garlic bread, and it's awesome for starting bread bakers.

Ingredients

For the focaccia

400 g bread flour, 12–13% protein (all-purpose works too; bread flour gives more chew, and the chew matters in a focaccia)
7 g instant yeast (dry or fresh yeast: soak 10 minutes in the water first and check for bubbles)
340 ml lukewarm water
10 g sugar
10 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus a generous amount for the baking tin
2 tbsp water + 2 tbsp olive oil, mixed, for the dimples
optional toppings: sun-dried tomatoes, olives, Italian herbs
8 g salt
a small touch flaky salt

For the garlic butter

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
30 g Italian flat parsley, finely chopped (a handful)
30 g grated Parmesan cheese
230 g softened unsalted butter

Method

1
Add the flour, salt and instant yeast to a bowl (instant yeast goes straight on the flour, otherwise it wouldn't be instant).
2
Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water, add it to the dry ingredients and mix. When it comes together, mix in the 10 ml olive oil.
3
In the bowl, pull the dough up on one side without tearing it and fold it over the top, four sides. This strengthens the dough during the rise.
4
Rest 20 minutes, then repeat three more times: pull-fold, rest, pull-fold, rest, pull-fold, rest.
5
Check the dough: take a piece and stretch it, if light passes through without tearing, it's strong enough. If not, do another pull and fold. A strong gluten network is the skeleton of the dough, and that's what gets you the airy bubbles you want in a focaccia.
6
Completely cover the bottom of your baking tin with oil, be generous, the dough soaks up a lot of it. Add the dough and spread it to the edges. If it springs back, rest it under a damp towel for 10 minutes so it relaxes.
7
Let it prove for an hour, until risen with bubbles formed. Preheat the oven to 230°C.
8
Meanwhile, make the garlic butter: mix the softened butter, garlic, parsley and Parmesan until completely combined. Set aside.
9
The satisfying part: poke holes into the dough with your fingers, only halfway, not all the way through, or you might tear the dough.
10
Pour the water-and-olive-oil mix all over so it runs into the holes. Add a small touch of flaky salt, plus herbs or toppings if you like, I did half plain for the garlic bread, half with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and Italian herbs.
11
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. With a lot of toppings, cover with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes so they don't burn.
12
Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack before slicing.
13
Slice the focaccia open horizontally, spread the garlic butter edge to edge, and bake another 5 minutes at 200°C. Cut into slices and devour.

Kitchen cabinet

8 tools I used.

⚖️Kitchen scale 🥣Large bowl 🍞Baking tin 🧺Damp kitchen towel 🥄Mixing bowl + spoon (garlic butter)🔥Oven 🕸️Wire rack 🔪Bread knife

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