Foccacia Bread

Foccacia is a flat, rustic Italian herbs bread that can be good for a party or picnic.  It can be served as an appetizer with my cilantro dipping pesto or mushroom pâté. Today, I will make this bread using a bread machine. If you own a bread machine already, then it is a bread that is easy to make at home. I think freshly baked homemade bread has such a wonderful taste and is economical. It is also a perfect gift as a simple thank you to friends or family. Bread is another gift that can be brought to dinner at a friend’s house and baking the bread at home makes the gift even more special.

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
3 tbs vegetable shortening
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tbs milk powder
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tsp active dry yeast
Topping:
2 tsp freshly chopped thyme or rosemary
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Place dough ingredients in bread machine pan. Select Dough setting and press start. Check your bread machine for functions. When dough has been kneaded and risen enough, the machine will make a sound. Turn off the machine, remove dough from the machine, and turn out dough onto a floured countertop.

Use a rolling pin to roll dough out into a large rectangle.

 

Oil a 13” x 9” jelly roll pan or pizza pan.  Roll dough around the rolling pin and transfer dough onto the jelly roll pan by unrolling it from the rolling pin. Using both hands, gently stretch and press dough to fit evenly into baking pan. With 2 fingers, poke holes all over the dough.

 Brush dough with olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped thyme, salt, and Parmesan cheese.

 Cover dough with a kitchen towel. Let dough rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°. Bake Foccacia bread for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool on wire rack. Serve warm or wrap in plastic. It will keep fresh at room temperature for a couple of days.