Provolone Oregano Focaccia
Some of you are already aware of my passion for cooking bread, others are going to discover it right now! Today, I am happy to share with you another great bread recipe that I tried out, a Provolone Oregano Focaccia. A chewy, moist, Italian flat bread. This was a simple recipe to make, but it does take some time. We have all heard the adage “good things come to those who wait”, well that apparently applies to bread making. With a little prep done the night before, by making the biga, the total time for this one clocks in near 14 hours. Luckily, most of that time can be spent dreaming of the Focaccia as the biga rises during the night.
The biga is a simple step, although it does require some extra time, but it adds so much to the flavor that it is essential!
Ingredients for the biga: (To be made at least 8 hours ahead of time)
- 1/2 cup of bread flour
- 1/4 teaspoon of active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup of warm water at 110 degrees
In a medium glass bowl, I added 1/2 a cup of bread flour, 1/4 of a teaspoon of yeast, and 1/3 of a cup of water. I mixed the flour together until a nice ball formed and all the ingredients were incorporated.
I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside at room temperature overnight.
Ingredients for the dough: (yields 2 loaves)
- 2 1/2 cups of bread flour + plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast
- 1 1/4 cups of warm water at 110 degrees
- 3/4 cup of provolone cheesed cut into small cubes
- 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil + plus more for brushing
- 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh oregano
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
The biga from the previous night should be nice and bubbly.
To the biga I added 2 1/2 cups of bread flour, 1 teaspoon of yeast, and 1 1/4 cups of water. I mixed well. I covered the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for 15 minutes. I used a small amount of olive oil on the side of the plastic wrap facing the dough to prevent sticking.
After 15 minutes I added 2 teaspoons of salt, mixing until incorporated.
I wrapped the dough again with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes.
Once the dough had risen I gently folded the dough on itself 8 times. Turning the bowl after each fold. I wrapped the bowl for another time and let it rise for 30 minutes.
I repeated the folding and rising process for a total of 4 times. On the third fold process I added in 3/4 of a cup of cubed provolone cheese.
While I waited after the last fold for the final rise I preheated the oven to 500 degrees. Also in a small fry pan I heated 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 4 cloves of minced garlic until just slightly browned over low heat. That took about 3-5 minutes. I set the garlic and oil aside to cool.
I lightly floured the work surface and turned out the dough. I divided the dough in half and gently tucked the ends to make a ball.
After I shaped the dough into balls, I placed each ball top side down onto 2 separate cookie sheets each with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt. I coated each loaf in the oil and turned the dough with the top side up. I covered each dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes I shaped 1 loaf into a rectangular shape on a bread pan and poked holes into the top of the dough with a fork all over the surface. Then I brushed the top of the loaf with some of the garlic oil and topped it with 1 tablespoon of chopped oregano. I let the dough rest for another 10 minutes.
I turned the oven down to 450 degrees and baked the shaped loaf on the top rack for about 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. The bread should be a nice golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.
Finally, I let the Focaccia cool for 30 minutes.
This was an instant hit. We love the crisp crust and the moist, chewy center. The cubes of provolone melt into the pockets of the dough as it bakes, and create delicious cheesy bursts of flavor. Take a look here…
The garlic infused oil adds an incredible amount of flavor on the crust that compliments the oregano.
It is simple to make and has many great ways you can serve it. We used some for sandwiches, but you can just bite into a slice on its own as well!