Focaccia

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If you’re a bread lover like us here in the ALDI Test Kitchen, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this recipe for homemade focaccia bread! Try this delectable and aromatic recipe for focaccia once and you may never want to make it any other way. This classic Italian bread is a perfect blend of fluffy dough, savory toppings and flavorful seasonings. Even better, with simple ingredients that are easy to find, you can recreate this homemade bakery favorite in your own kitchen.

Let's start with the dough, which forms the foundation of this delicious bread. You'll need all-purpose flour, salt, water, vegetable oil, Holland Lager 1839, fast rising yeast and honey. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour and salt, and in a liquid measuring cup, mix the water, vegetable oil, beer, yeast and honey. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour and mix until a ball of dough forms, then increase the speed and knead for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Once the dough has rested, stretch it into a 12x10-inch rectangle and brush 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil onto a baking sheet. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet and let it rest for another 10 minutes, allowing it to rise slightly. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400° to ensure it's nice and hot for baking.

Now, let's move on to the toppings that add incredible flavor to the focaccia. In a medium bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with Italian seasoning, salt, ground black pepper and shredded parmesan cheese. Mix the ingredients until well combined, and then spread the mixture evenly on top of the dough. Finally, top the focaccia with sliced Roma tomatoes, adding a burst of freshness and color to the bread.

Place the prepared focaccia in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the tomatoes are slightly softened. The aroma of freshly baked bread and savory toppings will fill your kitchen.

Once the focaccia is out of the oven, resist the temptation to dig in right away! Let it cool for a few minutes, then cut it into slices. The combination of the fluffy and chewy dough, the savory toppings with a hint of tangy parmesan cheese and the burst of flavor from the Roma tomatoes is just so irresistible, you'll be coming back for seconds.

Directions:                   

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. For dough: In a stand mixer bowl, using a dough hook, combine the flour and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, combine water, vegetable oil, beer, yeast and honey. Add liquid ingredients to flour, mix on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and mix for 8 minutes until a ball forms and the bowl is clean. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
3. Stretch dough into a 12x10-inch rectangle. Lightly brush 1 teaspoon of oil onto a baking sheet. Place dough on prepared baking sheet. Let rest for 10 minutes.
4. For topping: In a medium bowl, combine topping ingredients except for tomatoes. Spread evenly on top of dough and place sliced tomatoes on top. Bake for 15 minutes. Cut into slices.

Recipe Courtesy of ALDI Test Kitchen