Herbed Focaccia Bread

Focaccia bread is delicious.  It’s great for dipping in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and cracked pepper goo.  I recently came into enormous amounts of oregano and, after finding out you can snip fresh oregano and store it in ziploc bags in the freezer for months, put it away then decided it would be awesome in bread.  The original recipe calls for rosemary, but who can resist fresh herbs?   Originally we were going to use it as appetizer dipping bread, but we liked it so much it turned into multiple sandwiches for the next few day’s lunches.  I think I made it a bit too thick, so it was fat on the outside and too think in the middle, but it still tasted delicious!

Ingredients (Adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book):

• 4 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup warm milk*
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk*
• 2 tsp salt
• handful fresh oregano leaves
• olive oil (for drizzling)

*Water can be substituted for the milk (as in the original recipe).  I like the slight difference in texture and taste the milk makes.

Directions:

Day 1:  Prepare the “sponge”

1. In a large bowl, combine the 1/2 cup warm milk, 1/2 cup of flour, and yeast; beat until smooth.
2. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit overnight at room temperature.

Day 2:  Make the bread!

1. Remove the plastic wrap from the sponge and stir in the oregano.  (Add more in small amounts until you think it “looks right”.
2. Gradually stir in the 1 cup warm milk, salt, and enough flour to make a dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the remaining dough until a stiff dough is formed (smooth and elastic).
4. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.
5. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and place a large bow upside down over the dough.  Let sit for 30 minutes.
6. Shape the dough into a circle (about 11 inches in diameter).  Don’t work the dough too roughly to keep any air bubbles in tact.
7. Make 1/2-inch deep indentations every 2 inches in the shaped dough and brush with olive oil.  Sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.
8. Bake at 475 degrees F for 15 – 20 minutes, or until golden on a preheated baking stone or non-preheated, greased baking sheet.

The “sponge”, day 1.

The “sponge”, day 2.

Oregano in the sponge!

Mixed and risen!

Even bigger after 30 minutes of sitting.

Shaped with finger pokes.

Lets get baking!

YUM.