Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia

Sometimes when you have pasta for dinner, you just want a slice of warm bread to go along with it. This simple garlic, rosemary & thyme focaccia bread pairs up beautifully with just about any of your favorite pasta, soups, and salads.

Dairy-free | Soy-free 

Carb lovers, readers, and friends lend me your ears… well, eyes?

I don’t know why, but I’ve always found bread to be super comforting. My family has always been huge bread lovers, and I grew to be one too! Bread has a way of bringing people together, so I urge you to share this recipe with your bread-loving friend and family!

I’ve mentioned before that my grandmother was the one who taught me everything kitchen related, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that she was the one who taught me the arts of basic bread-making. However, I’ve never fully dived into bread-making, as for a while I found it to be tedious and sometimes stressful.

But, as I get older, I realize that tasks and recipes that require making them entirely from scratch super calming; especially when I get to make them alone and in my own time. So I thought maybe it’s time…

Our garden is booming with herbs: cilantro, oregano, oregano brujo, rosemary, thyme, mint, and many more. That’s why for my first bread, I decided to go with the simplest, yet one of my favorites: Focaccia! This bread ended up being everything I hoped it would be: infused with garlic, rosemary & thyme, so soft and so savory!

But, what is Focaccia bread? It’s a thick, chewy, yet soft bread, infused with herbs and olive oil; often compared to pizza dough, but not to be mistaken by it. Although, you can totally use focaccia bread to make some pizza… which gives me an idea for tonight’s dinner. And another vital ingredient for this bread is the olive oil, which gives the focaccia bread it’s decadent flavor and the crisp golden brown crust.

Notes & Tips:

• Use good olive oil: The secret to the best focaccia bread is great tasting olive oil. Nothing expensive or fancy, Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil should work just fine.
• Since I try to keep my recipes simple, I used the active dry yeast in a packet. However, you can use the liquid one if you prefer.
• Want to make this gluten-free? Use your favorite gluten-free flour blend.
• Got leftovers? Store in a ziplock bag in the fridge for one week, or tightly wrapped in plastic. For longer storing, place in freezer for about a month.

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Recipe: Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia

Ingredients:

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 (¼ ounce) packet active dry yeast
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt
• Dash of black pepper, ground
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp thyme, chopped
• 1 tbsp rosemary, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• Optional: sprigs of rosemary

Procedure:

1. Mix the yeast with the warm water, and let sit for about 10 minutes. Bubbles should form.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, herbs & garlic powder.
3. To the dry ingredients, add in the yeast and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Combine.
4. When the dough is completely combined, place on a floured surface and knead until smooth.
5. Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in the bowl and turn it to coat completely.
6. Cover bowl with a damp towel or damp paper towel, and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
8. To a greased baking sheet, add your dough and pat into a ½-inch thick rectangle.
9. Using your knuckles, make indentations to the dough.
10. Press down your rosemary sprigs into the dough, lightly brush with the other tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.
11. Bake for 15 minutes until golden and crisp.
12. Serve with your favorite pasta, soup or as it is with a little vegan butter, and enjoy!

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Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

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