Focaccia Bread with Roasted Garlic and Olives

February 25, 2013

Roasted Garlic and Olive Focaccia

Tender, yet rustic focaccia bread with a rich olive oil flavor. This focaccia recipe with roasted garlic and kalamata olives makes a wonderful addition to any meal.

Focaccia Bread with Roasted Garlic and Olives | ASpicyPerspective.com #bread #focaccia

Remember that roasted garlic we made last week? Well now it’s time to put it to good use!

The other day I realized that it has been a long time since I’ve made focaccia bread.

What a travesty. Especially since focaccia bread is one of my favorite breads to make at home.

It’s so….. free-spirited.

Easy Focaccia Bread with Roasted Garlic and Olives | ASpicyPerspective.com #bread #focaccia Farmhouse Dinnerware from Villeroy & Boch.

There is no need to form perfect loaves, or brush a perfect glossy glaze over the top.

Forget perfection.

In fact, once your dough is ready, you can shape it anyway you please, and add additional flavors ’til your heart’s content.

The last time I posted a focaccia recipe, I made a lemon-herb variety and decorated the top with red onions. Today’s focaccia recipe involves roasted garlic and olive “buttons.”

Focaccia Recipe with Roasted Garlic and Olives | ASpicyPerspective.com #bread #focaccia

I love this particular focaccia bread because it’s lighter and more tender than most of the focaccia recipes I’ve played with.

It has a rich olive oil flavor, but texturally, it’s more like a soft country bread.

I’ve loaded it up with sweet roasted garlic, and pressed kalamata olives deep into the surface to add briny contrast.

Focaccia Collage

This focaccia bread is heavenly.

You can make a huge flat loaf in an 11 X 15 inch baking dish, a slightly taller than average 9 X 13 loaf, or press it out free-form on a baking sheet.

Easy Focaccia Recipe with Roasted Garlic and Olives | ASpicyPerspective.com #bread #focaccia

Go free-spirits!

This is a baking project just for you.

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Yield: 12+ servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes active time

Cook Time: 35-45 minutes

Focaccia Bread with Roasted Garlic and Olives

Ingredients:

1/4 cup hot water
1 packet dry active yeast
2 tsp. honey
1 1/2 cup cold water
3 Tb. olive oil + extra for the bowl and pan
1 1/2 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt
2 Tb. roasted garlic, smashed
4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cups pitted kalamata olives
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Pour the hot water and honey into the bowl of your electric mixer. Swirl the bowl around until the honey has dissolved and the water is just luke-warm. Add one package of dry active yeast and swirl around. Allow the yeast to foam for 10 minutes or so. Then add the cold water, 3 Tb. oil, salt, and smashed roasted garlic. Using the bread hook attachment, turn the mixer on low and slowly add the flour. “Knead” on low for about 10 minutes.
Pull the dough away from the sides and rub the bowl down with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Remove the plastic wrap and turn the mixer back on for 30 seconds.
Thoroughly oil a 9X13 or 11X15 rimmed baking dish. Press to dough to the edges, don’t be afraid to let your fingers puncture the dough—this will created the bumpy, rustic texture of traditional focaccia bread.
Once the dough is spread out, poke deep cavities in the dough and place an olive in each hole. Push the olives down far, otherwise they might pop out when the dough rises. Drizzle the top with more olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cover the dough with a clean damp towel. Allow the dough to rise again for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden-brown. (If you used a 11X15 dish, it might be more like 30-35 minutes.)
You can leave the focaccia in the baking dish or turn in out for easy cutting.