ROSEMARY FLATBREAD with olive oil (Italian focaccia)

Rosemary flatbread is a Tuscan specialty! In Italy it is called “focaccia” or “schiacciata”. Coarse salt is essential to obtain the characteristic taste and texture. The Italian tradition requires adbundant olive oil. For this reason the quality of the oil is essential to obtain a great “schiacciata”. I love load my rosemary flatbread with cheese, baked vegetables or cured meats, but it is delicious simply plain as well!

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• 25 oz (700 g) bread flour
• 14.5 oz (400 g) water
• 15 tbs (200 g) extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 oz (7 g) active dry yeast
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp table salt

FIRST STEPS

Pour 12.5 oz of room temperature water into a bowl along with the dry yeast and 1 tsp of sugar, and stir well. Pour 2/3 of bread flour into the same bowl and stir well until all the ingredients are well mixed. Now, add the table salt, 5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, and 1 tsp of finely minced rosemary. Stir well with a paddle, then with your hands. When the mixture is consistent, spread it on a board. Knead with the palms for 10 minutes until the dough is elastic. Finally, let the dough rest under a sheet of parchment paper and a towel until it will double its size (about 1.5 h).

INTO THE BAKING TRAY

Lie down the dough into a baking tray 16×12 inches previously brushed with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Work the dough as less as possible. Brush a mixture of 4 tbsp of olive oil and 4 tbsp of warm water over the flatbread and spread 1 tbsp of whole rosemary needles. Cover the dough with a piece of parchment paper. Let the flatbread double its size (about 2 h).

INTO OVEN

Pre-heat the oven on 450° F. Create  little hollows on the flatbread with your fingers. Brush 4 tbsp of water and spread the coarse salt. Bake the rosemary flatbread 5 mins at 450° F, then low the temperature at 400° F and bake 15/20 mins more. Just out from the oven, brush the flatbread with 3 tbsp of olive oil.

SERVING THE ROSEMARY FLATBREAD

Serve the rosemary flatbread with cheese, baked vegetables, and cured meats. Even is this flatbread is best served the same day, it is good the day after as well, just re-heated a few minutes into the oven.

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