Something Savory: Focaccia Bread

July 31, 2013

     My sister loves herb-y, onion-y, garlic-y bread and as a byproduct I too have gained an appreciation for savory breads. It is from her that I learned about focaccia bread.  Focaccia bread is like a mini, portable pizza for bread lovers. It's a great lunch idea: it's filling, variable, and fanciful. You can eat it hot, cold, or rewarmed. You can shape it to be any size, and create just about any flavor. So, now that I've attempted to convince you of its virtues, here is the recipe:

     This recipe comes from a marvelous gluten-free cookbook: Life Tastes Good Again. My additions are in bold otherwise, the credit belongs to them! :) This is originally a bread stick recipe, and it's a standard at our house.

      3 c French Bread mix*
      1/3 c dry milk powder
      1 tbl dry yeast
      1 1/4 tsp salt
      4 egg whites
      3 tbl oil (I used sunflower oil from Trader Joes)
      1 tsp vinegar (I usually use apple cider vinegar)
      1 1/2 c warm water.

Toppings:
      tomato sauce (I actually used a tomato powder, but the sauce works too.)
      sharp cheese such as goat cheese, Asiago, or sharp cheddar.
      garlic salt
      pizza seasoning
      Italian seasoning
      oregano
      sun-dried tomatoes
      whatever else strikes your fancy!
   
All of this is to taste. It depends on how savory you like your savory. I mixed the tomato powder in with the other spices.

Mix dry and wets separately. If you don't like a heavy arm workout, you should mix the wets with a stand mixer or beaters. ;) Slowly add the dry to the wet. Their recipe says to beat for 3 1/2 minutes. I'm too impatient for that, but it's probably a good idea.

This dough is beyond sticky, so there seems to be only one good way to handle it: "Spoon dough into a pastry bag or a Ziploc bag then cut the corner off to a 1/4 inch diameter opening."  Then squish the dough

into the shape of choice onto a greased cookie sheet. I wanted circles, so I squeezed a center dot and spiraled out from there. Once they've been shaped (if you need to do some fine tuning with your shapes, get your fingertips wet, and the dough will respond more kindly) brush them with melted butter. (NOT margarine.) If you're using tomato sauce, a very thin layer of butter will do. Next, distribute the spices as evenly as possible, add the sun-dried tomatoes (or whatever else) and cover with cheese. I don't take the time to let the dough rise, partially because focaccia bread is a flat bread, and because the dough does some rising in the oven. Bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

* Here is their fabulous French Bread mix:
    3 1/2 c white rice flour
    2 1/2 c tapioca flour
    2 tbl xanthan gum
    2 (7 grams) packets of unflavored gelatin
    We don't usually add this but...2 tbl egg replacer
    1/4 c sugar