CRUNCHY BAKED FOCACCIA WITH GARLIC AND OLIVES

What better way to spend Sunday afternoon than baking this fresh focaccia with garlic and olives. Crusty on the outside, light and super soft on the inside, with pops of flavour from the garlic and olives. It really is the most delicious and extra fancy addition to your dinner table. Best served warm right out of the oven with a drizzle of warm herbed butter. You will LOVE this bread. Serve alongside your favourite pasta dishes, with a Sunday night roast, or simply on its own…fresh out of the oven. You simply can’t go wrong.

The key ingredients:

Extra-virgin olive oil is what makes this focaccia taste so unbelievably delicious. It adds to the texture as well as the flavour.

Dry yeast, warm water, and sugar help the bread rise. The warmth of the water and the sugar wake up the yeast. You can use honey, maple syrup, or sugar. For this one, I’ve used honey.

All-purpose flour is perfect for making focaccia. You can use bread flour for a chewier texture.

Roasted/confit garlic is a delicious topping for this focaccia. Fill each dimple with sweet and buttery cloves. Add some sliced black olives for even more flavour.

Fresh herbs are also essential. Use what you like and have available to you. I love to use fresh thyme or rosemary.

The details…

Activate the yeast. In a bowl filled with warm water (not too hot!), pour in the yeast and honey and give it a stir. Sugar or maple syrup work too. Let sit for a few minutes, until you see the yeast bubble up to the surface as though it’s coming alive!

Make the dough. In a second large bowl add sifted flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and combine gently with a wooden spoon. Place in a third large bowl filled with olive oil, cover with glad wrap and rest in the fridge overnight (24 hours is ideal). When you take it out of the fridge, carefully pull all of the sides away from the bowl into the centre to form a ball.

Press the dough out very gently into a greased pan and leave it in a warm spot for another two-four hours until it doubles in size again. Okay I know it’s a lot of resting but trust me, it’s worth it for a super soft and spongy focaccia.

Bake. Now the fun part. Press your fingers into the dough to form dimples all over the top. I love this… it’s like playing with play dough. Brush with olive oil and top with roasted garlic cloves and olives. Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy!

I love baking this bread up on the weekend as a special side dish. It’s pretty much the perfect accompaniment to any meal you serve, and I’ve yet to meet anyone who does not love it.

Bonus? The smell coming from your oven as this bakes is beyond delicious. Like you’ve been baking Italian bread all day long. Super yummy.

More warming Sunday-style recipes…

• Roasted garlic confit (+oil)
• One-pan pesto bolognese gnocchi bake
• Hearty winter chicken and vegetable pasta soup
• Simple roasted red pepper pasta

Lastly, if you like this Baked Focaccia with Garlic and Olives be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!