Cooking with Permjit K. Sandhu

Baking bread was always something I aspired to be successful with. The whole process was intriguing. From the activation of the yeast to the breaking of bread, there is satisfaction every step of the way. The aroma permeates through the air creating an ambiance of warmth and comfort. 

This focaccia bread is the perfect no-fuss introduction to baking bread. I like to dress the top with some of my favourite herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary) and flaky sea salt. You can top it with almost anything you like, including olives, cheeses and vegetables. I love using this bread for sandwiches or for simple snacking with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The level of appreciation and satisfaction of baking and devouring bread one has made by oneself is immeasurable. 

My key pieces of advice are to have no fear, be patient, and know that bread-making is not as difficult as you might think! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 ¼ oz Envelope active dry yeast (about 2 ¼ teaspoon)
• 2 teaspoons Honey 
• 5 Cups All purpose flour
• 5 teaspoons Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. Morton kosher salt
• 6 Extra virgin olive oil, plus more for hands
• 1 Tablespoon Butter 
• Sea salt and other herbs of your choice 

Directions: 

1. Whisk one ¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.), 2 tsp. honey, and 2½ cups lukewarm water in a medium bowl and let sit 5 minutes. 
2. Add 5 cups all-purpose flour and 5 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. Morton kosher salt and mix with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms and no dry streaks remain.
3. Pour 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into a big bowl that will fit in your refrigerator. Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and chill until dough is doubled in size, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. Alternatively, you can let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 3–4 hours.
4. Generously butter a 13x9" baking pan, for thicker focaccia that’s perfect for sandwiches, or an 18x13" rimmed baking sheet, for focaccia that's thinner, crispier, and great for snacking. Pour 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into center of pan. Keeping the dough in the bowl and using a fork in each hand, gather up edges of dough farthest from you and lift up and over into the center of bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process 3 more times. Transfer dough to prepared pan. Pour any oil left in bowl over and turn dough to coat it in oil. Let rise, uncovered, in a dry, warm spot (like on top of the fridge or near a preheating oven) until doubled in size, at least 1½ hours and up to 4 hours.
5. Place a rack in middle of the oven; preheat to 450°. Lightly oil your hands. If using a rimmed baking sheet, gently stretch out dough to fill. Create very deep depressions in the dough (reach your fingers all the way to the bottom of the pan). Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt or your preferred seasonings/herbs. Bake focaccia until puffed and golden brown all over, 20–30 minutes.
6. May be served right away or frozen for future use. If choosing to use after freezing, place the bread in a 300F oven for a few minutes to thaw.