I know I’ve been away from the blog for a while–my mind is very much in job-hunting mode and that, along with the holidays, have zapped me of inspiration. But tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, and the husband and I are going to celebrate as we usually do–making lots of food, drinking wine, watching movies and playing board games–and we’re going to add a new player to the lineup: a homemade focaccia loaf.
With the exception of two cookie baking episodes, our Artisan stand mixer has laid primarily dormant, mostly because I hate baking sweets (because then we have to eat them). But our journey to Italy opened me up to the wonders of a simple focaccia, and since we’ve been back I’ve made well over five loaves, including one we brought to a Christmas party a few weeks ago. It’s an insanely easy recipe that I’ve adapted from an Emeril recipe, and the results are fabulous:
See what I mean?
The key to whipping up a quick dough is using instant dry yeast (I found some German yeast at my neighborhood shop), but if all you can find is the active yeast, you’ll have to bloom it for fifteen minutes first:
Focaccia with tarragon:
- 3 1/4 cups flour, plus more if needed
- 1 packet instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (I microwave it in a bowl for three minutes on high) (This is an edit–I realized that I underestimated the water amount–my apologies)
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 1/2 bunch fresh tarragon, leaves removed from the stems
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add sugar to warm water, and in the meantime add flour, instant yeast and salt to a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attachment, and mix. Add sugar water mix (instant yeast will bubble instantly) and mix slowly (using dough hook) for a minute or two until blended on medium-low speed. Increase to medium speed (about a 6 on an Artisan) to allow dough to form. Add additional flour, if necessary, gradually to help dough form into a ball–it’ll be ready when it sticks to the hook instead of the bowl.
Add oil to a metal or glass bowl, and cover ball completely with it. Cover with a towel and let rise for three hours in a warm location. When finished, punch dough down and mold into a 9×13 baking pan, press imprints about an inch apart, and lightly brush with olive oil before adding tarragon, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the oven to 500 degrees and set it to broil, to allow a brown crust to form, for no more than two minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
UPDATE: As for the dragoncello vs. tarragon debate in the comments ( a perfectly valid one, as I realized), while techincally tarragon does translate into dragoncello in Italian (it’s also known as Dragon’s wort), there are two kinds of it–the French variety that is used in the kitchen (but cannot be grown from seed, apparently) and the Russian kind that is coarser, but can be grown from seed. I am referring to the kinds available in the store, sadly–but if anyone is successful in growing French tarragon, please let me know your secrets!
ooh! I’ll have to show this to Mr. Shortcake! Happy New Year’s!
That looks delish. I’m tempted to make it tomorrow except for the minor fact that our fridge is full of leftovers from Christmas and sadly, a funeral gathering that we had to attend today.
Good luck with the job hunt, Happy New Year, and happy eating!
GAH! I have those two huge dragoncello plants in the herb garden and had no idea what to do with them. Thank you darling for showing me. Was the herb bitter at all?
Wait — wait — dragoncello here is not tarragon, at least not in the classic sense. I have the tarragon back there in the garden also, but the dragoncello is a huge, bitter plant which the locals cut up and put in grappa when they have stomach upset. I know you have been into tarragon lately. hmmmm. i am confused. Oh well, isn’t the first time. Sorry to have taken up two comment spaces. BTW happy new year, I hope you find work you love and I send my kids both huge hugs. :)
Diana–Hmmm. Now I am confused too–I’ve translated it using a few sources and they all turn up tarragon for me. Perhaps it’s a regional thing?
a friggen piemontese thing. I am sure. Baci Baci