Recipe: Focaccia

I stumbled upon this recipe about 8 years ago when I was bored one day and in the mood for baking. It comes from my good old red-and-white-checked Betty Crocker cookbook that I got from my grandmother when Tony and I got married. I changed it a bit by adding some garlic into the recipe, otherwise this is exactly the recipe from BC!


Focaccia
Italian flat bread

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves, crumbled
1-2 tablespoons (depending on preference) garlic powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 pkg regular or quick rise yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Mix 1 cup of the flour, the rosemary, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and yeast in large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil and the warm water. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour until dough is soft and leaves sides of bowl.

2. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead 5 to 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Place dough in large bowl greased with shortening, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until almost double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

3. Grease 2 cookie sheets or 12-inch pizza pans wiht small amount of oil.

4. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a flattened 10-inch round on cookie sheet. Cover loosely and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until double.

5. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Gently make depressions about 2 inches apart in dough with fingers. Carefully brush with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool.