Focaccia is a quick and easy yeasted bread that I make fairly often. It's a flat-ish Italian style of bread made with olive oil and honey and is often flavored with herbs.
Focaccia is baked in a casserole dish and is meant to be cut into squares and served warm with butter or olive oil, or cut into slightly larger pieces, sliced in half and used for sandwiches.
Or you can use it as a base for more traditional pizza or flatbread toppings, pesto, tapenade, etc.
I love making focaccia because it's very versatile and bakes up in no time.
Usually I top my focaccia with sliced or halved olives, but this time I decided to put fresh sage leaves from our kitchen garden (rescued before our first hard frost!) and garlic I grew this year on top of this version, but you can use whatever toppings you wish.
Black olives, garlic, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, any type of herb, capers, even cheese … it all works! Or keep it simple and just brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt.
(scroll down for printable recipe card)
Focaccia Bread with Garlic Sage Olive Oil
2 teaspoons honey
¼ ounce (2 1/4 teaspoons) yeast
3 ½ cups flour
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for Garlic Sage Oil
2 teaspoons salt
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Handful of fresh sage leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the bread attachment, stir the water, honey and yeast, then let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
On low speed, add the flour, 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 teaspoons of salt. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 5 or 6 minutes until the dough is smooth and not sticky.
Rub a mixing bowl with olive oil, put the dough in, and cover with a clean, damp towel. Let rise in a warm spot for about an hour, until doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, in a small bowl add the garlic and sage leaves, then pour in just enough olive oil to completely cover, and then add a few grinds of pepper and stir to combine.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ½" thick. Cover with the towel and let rise for another 15 or 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use some of the garlic olive oil to grease the bottom of a 9x13 oven-safe casserole dish. Move the dough to the dish and press holes all over it with your fingers to make deep divots in the surface.
Spoon the solids from the garlic sage oil over the top, reserving a bit of oil to brush on the bread once it comes out of the oven. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining garlic olive oil, and sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.
Let cool for several minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature. Or serve with butter.
Wrap leftovers and eat within a few days.
