Bread Machine Focaccia

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 8 to 10 servings
  • Total: 2 hr 30 min (includes proofing and resting times)
  • Active: 20 min
Despite its complex texture and flavor, this crispy, salty, moist bread is surprisingly easy to make. All the ingredients go into the bread machine together for mixing, kneading and rising, then all that’s left to do is dimple the dough and proof and bake it. It’s a simplified way to make a classic bread, and you can top yours with anything from herbs and tomatoes to grapes.
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Ingredients

Dough:

1 1/4 cups warm water (about 80 degrees F)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 1/2 cups bread flour (see Cook's Note)

2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

One 1/4-ounce packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

Brine and Topping:

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons warm water

Optional toppings: rosemary leaves, thyme leaves, cherry tomatoes, red grapes

Nonstick cooking spray, for the plastic wrap 

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Special equipment:
a 2-pound capacity bread machine
  1. For the dough: Add the dough ingredients to the bread pan of a 2-pound capacity bread machine in the following order: water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, flour, sugar, kosher salt and yeast. Program the machine for pizza dough (or just the dough setting, depending on your machine) and start the cycle (see Cook's Note).
  2. Once the dough is puffy and the dough cycle is complete, between 45 and 90 minutes, depending on your bread machine, pour the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into the bottom of a 15 1/2 -by-10 1/2 jelly-roll pan. Use your hands to evenly distribute the oil over the bottom and up the sides. Scrape the dough into the pan and flatten it slightly with your hands. Flip the dough once and gently stretch it to fit into an even layer in the pan. (The dough may not stretch to the edges at this point. If it starts to pull back, let rest 10 minutes and re-stretch, making sure to pull from the center as well as the edges for even thickness.) Use your fingertips to make dimples over the surface of the focaccia, pressing firmly but not so hard you make holes in the dough.   
  3. For the brine and topping: Dissolve the kosher salt in the water. Drizzle over the surface of the focaccia, letting it pool in the dimples. Add any optional toppings if using. Cover loosely with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let the focaccia sit in a warm place for 45 minutes to relax and rise again.    Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  4. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through, until the focaccia is deep golden brown on the top and bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Drizzle with the olive oil and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the focaccia to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cook’s Note

When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.) Settings, cycles and timing may vary on your bread machine depending on the model. Refer to the manufacturer's guide and pay attention to visual cues for proofing. We tested this recipe using a Cuisinart Compact Automatic Bread Maker, Model CBK-110.

Let's Get Cooking!

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