Monday, February 27, 2012

Foodie Night In: Simple Rosemary Foccacia Recipe

For the longest time, I have been promising myself to start to bake and cook more. Not only does
this save money and time, but it's also fun and rewarding! Fun to share the recipes with friends and
have them try something they wouldn't necessarily have a chance to get from any ordinary restaurant. There is nothing better than having a table full of random ingredients and when you're done, and
the aromas are filling the house, you end up with a masterpiece created with your own two hands! And you can eat it!

In the past few months, I have been addicted to The Food Channel ( Food Network Who?) It keeps me up late and never ceases to amaze me with all the different shows. I have become obsessed with "Simply Baking" because it's just that. Simple. You don't need crazy ingredients and 10 different techniques to get a boring cupcake. Plus, I am forever obsessed with Lorraine Pascale now (possibly more than the witty Nigella....ummmm, I think not!). She is so happy and non-threatening, you can't help, but think--"if she can do it, so can I!" So, sometime last week I decided to try her Rosemary Foccacia. Seriously delicious. I mean I was completely transported to Italy scrumptious. Check out the crazy easy ingredients:

3 1/3 Cups of Flour
2 Teaspoons of salt
1/3 Cup of Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup of Warm Water
1 Packet of Yeast
Rosemary, Olive Oil and Salt for topping (to taste)

Right out of the oven--piping hot!

If you don't have half of these ingredients already, you should be ashamed of yourself. OK, ok, too harsh? What about seriously disappointed with yourself? Better? Literally, all you have to do is mix the flour, salt, oil and water in a mixing bowl and knead it for 10 minutes for it all to come together. Too dry? Just add more water. Sticking like crazy everywhere? Sprinkle flour on the dough. Then roll out the dough to a circle or square (more common, but harder to do), cover with cling wrap on the baking sheet and then let it rise for an hour. It should double in size. Then take off the cling wrap, poke holes in dough (c'mon have a little fun with it!) and drizzle your extra virgin olive oil (because why would you use anything else?) and sprinkle your rosemary and salt to taste. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes and your done. Best part? You don't have to wait for it to cool off. Eat it warm!!!

Cross section view of Foccacia



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