Step 1

Make a well with the flour, add the fine salt and dissolve the yeast in a little bit of warm water, letting it rest for a couple of minutes. Pour the water and yeast into the center of the well and add the aromatic herbs.

Step 2

If necessary, add more water, and begin working the dough. Then add the oil and the rest of the ingredients. Continue working the dough until you uniform and fairly soft, yet elastic. Then, let rise in a warm place in a bowl covered with a dishtowel for about an hour.

Step 3

Oil a baking dish and stretch out the dough on top using your hands. Brush the top of the focaccia with oil, sprinkle with coarse salt and let rise for 20 more minutes.

Step 4

Bake in a  200° C (390° F) oven until the exterior is crispy.

Chef's Tips

The quantities to prepare the dough here indicated could slightly vary according to type of flour you will use. So keep some extra flour and water aside, in order to add them to the dough when necessary to gain the right consistency, which is a smooth and elastic dough, easy to clean off the hands and the working table.

Did you know that…

The longest focaccia ever made was over 807 meters (2,650 ft) and was baked on July 27, 2008 in Borzonasca, Liguria. The focaccia called for 300 kg (660 lb) of flour and 150 l (40 g) of water, gluing together the pieces made by the local bakers using a special kitchen glue after cooking.

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