My daughter loved this fresh baked Garlic Focaccia Bread with Thyme. It flew off the counter. Every time I turned around I saw another slice of Italian focaccia walking by in her little hands. Of course, like many kids her age, she picked off the "green stuff"... I guess no thyme next time I bake this.
Garlic Focaccia - Italian Focaccia from Scratch
I like to provide freshly baked organic homemade breads, over store bought when I have the time. This garlic focaccia is a relatively easy bread to make and she loves it. It is the original Italian Garlic Bread after all. This Italian Focaccia is loosely based off one in my copy of Cooking Light's The New Way to Cook Light, but the recipe can also be found on the Cooking Light website.
How To Make Focaccia Bread
As breads go, this recipe is pretty easy, but it will make any Italian meal more authentic. Find the printable recipe card below.
Ingredients for Italian Focaccia Recipe
Here are all the ingredients you will need to make the garlic and herb focaccia. You will also need a sheet pan.
The bread
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 package dry active yeast
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 ⅓ cups flour
- Cooking spray
Topping
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- Coarse salt to sprinkle on top (Kosher or Sea salt)
Preparing
Serve with olive oil, butter or garlic confit.
Italian Focaccia Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 package dry active yeast
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 ⅓ cups flour
- Cooking spray
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix sugar into warm water, then stir in yeast. Set aside to activate.
- Put flour in large mixing bowl.
- Once the yeast is activated, stir in the salt, then pour into mixing bowl with flour. Churn with dough hook until a single clump is formed.
- Spray a glass or ceramic bowl with cooking spray. Oil your hands lightly as well.
- Use your hands to remove dough from hook and form into a a ball.
- Place dough in sprayed bowl, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Put in warm place to rise.
- While dough is rising: Put oil in small skillet, over med-high heat. Once hot add the garlic, stir for about 30 seconds, then take off burner and add thyme.
- Once dough has doubled in size, stretch it on baking sheet coated with cooking spray (8x12 rectangle, or a little larger if you prefer a thinner focaccia).
- Baste dough with the garlic-thyme oil, making sure to spread out the bits of garlic and thyme.
- Poke the dough with your fingers, to create dimples, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Set in warm spot, to rise again.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes.
- Cool on wire rack or kitchen towel.
Nutrition
I've made this garlic focaccia bread recipe again since the batch shown here. I skipped the thyme and reduced the amount of salt on top in favor of some Parmesan cheese and a bit of fresh ground pepper. I also swapped ⅓ cup of the flour for garbanzo bean flour. It came out great, and was highly approved by Little Foodie 🙂
Arya says
This was one of the best breads I have made in a while. So delicious! Thank you for your recipe.