Laura’s Focaccia

Fluffy, light, and easy to make in an afternoon.

I have tried a lot of different focaccia recipes over the years and this recipe is still the best. So delicious and so easy.

Back in the early 2000’s, one of the Laura’s that worked for me at the Lemon Sisters (we had several that worked there) brought this recipe to us. Thank you, Laura, it’s time to pass the goodness forward!

Focaccia is meant to be eaten right out of the oven the day you make it. I like this recipe because the bread lasts longer than a day. You can freeze it right away and when you thaw it out, it’s still good. There aren’t many recipes that use egg whites in focaccia, and I think that makes a huge difference. Use your instant read thermometer to make sure it’s done. As for most breads, 190 degrees means the bread is done.

It’s hard to put too much olive oil on this bread. Put some in the pan before baking, spread the bread out and brush more olive oil on top when you take the bread out of the oven.

I put a few of my favorite toppings for the bread that I’ve used over the years in the notes at the end of the recipe. Even if you’re not a bread baker, you can do this!

Laura’s Foccacia

Simple and delicious focaccia in just a few hours

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course Savory

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 12 slices

Equipment

• 1 stand mixer with dough hook
• 1 9 X 9 baking pan
• 1 large bowl

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup warm water (101 degrees)
• 2 TBLS dry yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 teas. sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup good green olive oil plus more for baking
• 3 1/4 cups bread flour

Instructions

 

• Combine yeast and warm water and let it sit for 15 minutes.
• Combine the egg whites and the olive oil.
• Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the mixer with the dough hook. stir at low speed and slowly add the yeast and egg mixtures. Stir at low speed until combined and increase the speed to medium and knead for 10 minutes.
• Turn out into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place until doubled in size (1 hour).
• Punch down and spread into a 9 X 9 baking pan with 2 or 3 TBLS. of olive oil, turning the dough over once, to cover it in the oil as you spread it out. Dimple the dough with your fingers. See notes below for other ingredients to add to dough if desired.

  Start your oven and let it rise while the oven heats up to 375 degrees.

  Bake at 375 for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the temperature is 190 degrees.

Notes

Ideas for toppings:

Slice a red onion very thin and cook in 1 TBLS olive oil with a teaspoon of dried thyme. Add to the dough before baking

Add 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary when you spread the dough in the pan, before baking.

Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt after baking.

Keyword Bread flour, egg whites, olive oil, yeast