I don’t bake bread. Or pizza dough, or croissants or cinnamon rolls. I don’t DO yeast. Until now.

I always stood on the stage of ‘cooking.’ But I knew at some point I would have to tackle my fear/avoidance/aversion to baking-with-yeast. To part the curtains, and brave the unknown. If you are a bread baker, you probably think that is silly. And why not just use a bread machine? I hear bread machines are consistent and easy and loved by many—but to me that would feel like using a calculator before learning math. No, I couldn’t cheat. I couldn’t go around the mountain—I would have to go through it.

I would have to learn how to face my fear of yeast.

Since I am in Tuscany for a year—and focaccia while delicious can be expensive—I decided to use focaccia as my means to an end. It would be the vehicle that drives me right into the mountain of dough and out the other side… with lovely bread-baking aromas wafting about my kitchen (and hopefully not too much dough up my nose).

Its worth it, you know, making bread. Watching the yeast rise and pretending you had something to do with it. Kneading the dough (hey, someone show my how to do this!??), and punching it down (this is where the kids always show up: can I punch it mom?). And when it comes out of the oven risen to full glory and begging for a pat of butter—you will thank yourself: you not only willed yourself to face a fear—you have the best kind of results: warm from the oven.

I don’t have a food thermometer in the house, and truth be told I really wanted to get the feel for yeast: to know by touch when the water was just right for the yeast to do its thing. And so I bought some. In fact, I bought 10 small packs of yeast, and invited the kids into the kitchen to help me with my ’science experiment.’

Elaine from The Italian Dish has a great post explaining various types of yeast (fresh, powder, quick rise, etc.). Between her information and my experimentation, I was well on my way through my yeasty mountain. Is it ironic that as I was busily delving into the ins and outs of working with yeast, I ran across this no-knead bread recipe…

Knead-less-bread, why have I waited so long to make thee? All it takes is a bit of yeast dissolving in water and a quick stir of flour… so I guess it isn’t entirely cheating? I did go through the mountain after all. Yeast: you make my heart sing.

One of my culinary goals while living in Tuscany is to learn to make great focaccia.

I confess, I am more of a ‘cooker’ than a ‘baker’ and yeast doughs and breads are not a consuming part of my repertoire. But that doesn’t mean it is going to stay that way. I mean to learn the yin and yang of yeast in 2010. Even if I have to throw the dough against the wall a few times.

This being my intent, in the last few months I have probably made focaccia 20 some odd times. I have used a few different recipes, combined them, retested them, made focaccia with too much salt and too little. Had super thick focaccia (in too small a pan?) and focaccia I find too flat and hard. Should I let it rise twice? Let it rise longer? Knead it more… or less?

One interesting thing I learned along the way is that focaccia isn’t just focaccia. There isn’t just one way to make it—better said, there isn’t one be-all, end-all recipe that is the “official” focaccia. In fact, focaccia preferences change from person to person. Much like cookies, some prefer the crispy flat variety, while others like one with a lot of loft and chew. And that’s not all. Do you prefer raisins or walnuts, chocolate chunks or toffee bits in you cookies? Do you drink it with milk… tea? coffee?

We all have our habits, our preferences, our ‘mmmmm’ moments that are different than the next guy. I like that about people.

How do you like your focaccia?

My 14 year old likes his thick, preferably with bits of rosemary and salt on top. He would gladly eat it with spliced garlic or caramelized onions baked into the crust. My other son is 13 and likes it mid-loft, high enough to cut for sandwiches and without all the extras. Salt for him, is key. James (hubby) likes his on the flatter, chewier side. Mario Batali (one of the handful of recipes I tried) has a recipe for a Sicilian focaccia that is to James liking. Me? I think somewhere in the middle, not too high, not too flat. A bit crispy around the edges but soft in the middle. I love to eat it plain, with a bit of new olive oil and course salt for dipping… or try this brilliant dip (a family favorite!).

This recipe is the one I have settled on. Will I tweak it later? Perhaps, but it works pretty consistently.

Focaccia
4 cups flour (save out 1/2 cup for dusting the counter-top)
1 cup water, warm
1 small pkg instant yeast
2 T olive oil (Mario puts up to 4T)
1 T salt (feel free to adjust)
2 tsp sugar
toppings: brush olive oil over top and add [optional] toppings: kosher salt, Italian Herbs, chopped fresh rosemary, thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced garlic, caramelized onions…

let yeast rest 5-10 minutes in water, until dissolved/bubbles. Combine sugar, salt, 3 1/2 cups flour, olive oil in bowl (wooden spoon). Add water/yeast to combine. Knead for 10 minutes, until soft and pliable (I am still getting a feel for this). In oiled bowl, with oiled saran wrap, let rise in warm place for an hour. (You may punch down, shape the dough/put in pan and let rise again for another 30 minutes, under a towel. I don’t always). Shape into focaccia rectangle—I push mine into a 9×13, then dimple it before drizzling with olive oil and salt. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

One last thing. This really does well for the budget. I can buy flour here for pennies, and make loads of delicious focaccia. Being budget wise serves me particularly well, especially since I have growing adolescent mouths boys!