Kevin's Focaccia Bread

Have you ever eaten something so good you couldn't stop thinking about it? Of course you have. Well I hope you have anyway.

We ate the most delicious homemade focaccia when we went camping with my sister and her friends. Never in a million years did I think one of the husbands would bake fresh bread on a campout. Never. Ever. Open a bag of tortilla chips and a jar of queso, of course. But fresh bread, from scratch? Are you kidding me? It was then I realized there is a camping God.

I wasn't sure if it was the stress of camping that made it taste so good or if it really was that good. All I know is that when Kevin placed a huge pan of warm focaccia bread on the picnic table we all devoured it in a matter of minutes. We were polite about it at first. Then it was every man for himself. You had to get in there if you wanted a piece.

The bread was moist and the crust crispy from the olive oil. The top was salted just enough. It was absolutely divine. And that's exactly what it tasted like when I made it the other night.

Topped with Star Olive Oil,  fresh rosemary and black coconut salt. Oh, yeah.

Focaccia Bread

2 cups flour (all-purpose or bread)
1 t. salt
1 t. dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
Olive oil
Course Salt
Rosemary sprigs

1. Pour water in the bowl of your electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Wait 3-5 minutes.
2. Pour in 1 cup flour and salt. Stir on low speed with the paddle attachment 2 minutes. (or mix by hand with spoon)
3. Pour in second cup of flour. Mix two more minutes.
4. Cover bowl. Let the dough rise until double 1-2 hours.
5. Coat 8 x 8 pan with lots of olive oil and gently fold dough into pan. Be careful not to deflate dough. Let rise about 20-30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
7. Coat top of dough with more olive oil and sprinkle with salt and rosemary leaves.
8. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake 22-26 minutes.
9. Remove pan and loosen bread with spatula. Cool about 15 minutes and serve.

You can double this recipe.
Allow 3 hours start to finish.

Use an olive oil with a flavor that you like because you really taste it in the bread. I used the new California Star Olive Oil. It was perfect.


**I received the olive oil Compliments of Star. And the recipe from Kevin.

PS. I can't believe how good it is. And how easy. You have to make it.