Southern Style Cooking: Our Best Focaccia Recipes

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Our Best Focaccia Recipes

Of all the breads on the market, focaccia is a diva. Not because she's difficult, but because she's independent. She has her own process. She has dimples and her own structure.

Focaccia is a chewy yet crisp Italian bread made with yeast, olive oil, and flavored with various herbs. This dimpled dough is golden brown with large air pockets throughout the middle for a bite filled with both richness and an airy texture. Think pizza dough's cousin that decided to venture out on its own.

Part of the reason I love focaccia so much is because there are so many flavor combinations to explore. I grew my career in an Italian kitchen, so I lean pretty hard into the rosemary, oregano, basil, and red pepper flake realm. I love, love, love slabs of soft focaccia as a side, a sandwich when sliced in half, or a party appetizer—dipped into a hot bowl of soup or or on its own to soothe a hangover. I love it warm, drizzled with extra olive oil, or dunked in vinegar and pesto.

I could talk about the art of focaccia for days, but I'll spare you my nerding out. Now, go forth and bake. Be sure to send me all your focaccia tips and recipes @boddenbites because I'm always hungry for more.