Rosemary and Basil Focaccia

The Dimpled Italian flat bread is one of my favorite bread. There are no limit to the ways you can improvise on the focaccia bread.
You can top up the focaccia with almost anything..spice..herbs..veggies..
This fluffy, crunchy ,soft bread is the best accompaniment for a hot bowl of soup

To make the perfect focassia you need about 16-20 hrs…The more the better!!
After reading the step by step focaccia recipe in Joe’s space, I decided to give it a try..
After the macaroon disaster episodes I was not so optimistic about the end result..
But 10 min after I put the bread in the oven the smell was soooo wonderful !! I was assured that it is going to be one yummy bread..

We had some hot bread with some Balsamic vinegar and Olive oil and the rest we had for dinner with Cream of Broccoli Soup

Recipe Source : Joe’ wonderful space. He has given a very detailed pictorial recipe.

So here goes the recipe

For Starter
A pinch of Instant yeast dissolved in 60 ml water
60 gms All purpose flour

Dissolve the yeast in water.
Pour the yeast solution to the flour and mix well using a fork, the batter will be lumpy..No worries
Cover and let it rest for about 12 hours.
After 12 hours you will see that the starter is perfectly bubbled …You are half way now.

For Focassia
Starter Dough [You will need to use the entire starter you prepared which will be around 250 grms]
250 gms Bread flour
1/8th tspn Instant Yeast
1/2 tspn salt
20 ml Olive oil
1/2 tbspn Honey
75-100 ml Luke warm water
Toppings as per your taste and creativity

Combine all ingredients with 75 ml water in a mixer bowl.
Fix in the dough hook and beat on low for a minute till all ingredients are well coated with water/Olive oil.
Now on medium speed continue to knead for 10 minutes.
The dough should be smooth and still wet, so if you dough is too stiff, continue to add water while mixing.
As per Joe the consistency should be like Melted Mozzarella cheese

Now transfer the dough to a oiled bowl, cover and let it rise till its double. It will take about 3-4 hours.
Meanwhile oil a 10 by 10 inch baking tray.
Once dough has risen , punch it down .Lightly oil your hands and stretch and dough and spread it in pan.
Let proof one more hour, or until the dough starts to get puffy again and spreads out nearly to the corners of the sheet pan.
Just before you put into oven, make deep depressions in the dough with your fingers and pop any large bubbles.I sprinkled some Dried Rosemary and Basil and drizzled some olive oil .
Bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven at 450 Degrees until golden