Focaccia con Capperi e Olive
Focaccia con Capperi e Olive
Foccacia with Capers and Olives
On Ponza and Ventotene, off the coast of Lazio, the baking culture is a healthy mix of Neapolitan and Roman. Pizzerias on the islands serve thick-rimmed Neapolitan-style pies, while forni (bakeries) bake pizza in teglia (pizza cooked in sheet pans), a bread common in the Italian capital. On the islands, however, you’ll hear it called focaccia, due to the healthy addition of oil to the dough—ah, the wonderful world of Italian bread semantics! On Ponza and Ventotene, the toppings reflect local flavors and preserved foods like capers and olives, but you can get creative with whatever toppings you fancy.
Ingredients (9)
Ingredients (9)
Instructions
Combine the yeast (1 ½ tsp) and water in a large bowl and set aside to bloom for 10 minutes.
Add the bread flour (3 ⅓ cups) and finely milled semolina flour (1 ⅛ cups) to the yeast mixture. Stir with a spoon or your hands until there is no dry flour left in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.
Uncover the bowl and sprinkle over the salt (1 Tbsp), pinching it in and kneading until incorporated. Add 3 Tbsp of the olive oil and massage into the dough. When it has been fully incorporated, turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 15 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise for 1 ½ hours.
Grease a baking sheet with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Uncover the dough and turn it out into the pan. Carefully flip it over so the side of the dough that was in contact with the bowl is now in contact with the pan. Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbspolive oil over the dough. Using flattened fingertips, work the dough into the shape of the baking sheet, working from the center to the edges. If the dough retracts, cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 5 minutes more to relax. Once the dough has filled the pan, set aside, covered with a clean kitchen towel, to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 °F with a rack in the center. Do not use a convection setting as that will dry out the focaccia.
Uncover the dough and distribute the olives (½ cup), capers (¼ cup), and oregano (2 Tbsp) evenly over the top, gently pressing them into the surface of the dough. Bake until golden and springy, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing or storing. The cooled bread will keep wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To rewarm the bread before serving, preheat the oven to 500°F. When the oven comes to temperature, place the focaccia on a rack and turn off the oven. It will be toasted and warmed through after about 4 minutes.
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