Pane e Focaccia = Molto Buono!

I don't want to brag or anything, but I make my own bread AND focaccia. And they're really good too! Ok, so my mom has been telling me to do this for years, way before I was married, but I had to do it in my own time I guess. I wouldn't call myself a regular yet, but I think I'm getting there and Mom, you're right it gets easier and better each time you make it.

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
1 bag Fleischmann's Yeast
All-purpose flour
1 Tbsp Salt
Additional ingredients for focaccia:
Tomatoes
Oregano
Olive Oil
Additional sprinkling of salt

Place the water and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes. Add flour to water/yeast mixture a little at a time until starts to clump together and get dough-like. (I really don't know how to better explain it) Add the salt. Place flour/water/yeast mixture on table and begin kneading together until soft dough is formed. Sprinkle some flour on a clean dish towel and wrap dough inside. Place this within a couple heavier blankets and let rise for about 2 hours.

After the two hours, I cut the dough in half and place one half back under the blankets for an additional hour. That dough will be used for the bread and the dough I have taken out I will use to make focaccia.

Turn on oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the focaccia dough onto a cookie sheet that has been drizzled with olive oil. Turn focaccia on both sides so that it's coated all over in the olive oil and then spoon some tomatoes over the dough. Sprinkle on some oregano and salt. Place in oven for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned underneath.

After the bread dough has sat under the blankets for that additional hour, take out and place directly on pizza stone or on a cookie sheet. Run a knife down the middle of the dough and place in oven for about 30 minutes or until appears brown.




Mom, did I leave anything out?