Making a simple focaccia? Don’t forget the extra ingredient, imagination

A family member, knowing that I enjoy looking at cookbooks, presented me with an interesting book titled “2-Ingredient Miracle Dough Cookbook” by Erin Renouf Mylroie. There are several recipes in the book that I have tried and found to be interesting and tasty. But what has piqued my interest is the basic premise that by starting with two simple ingredients, self-rising flour and plain nonfat Greek yogurt, some amazing and yes, healthier things can happen. The only additional ingredient that should be added is imagination. Of course, it helps to understand how certain flavors work together. But that applies to any culinary endeavor.

Of course, me being who I am, I started thinking about all the other possibilities that I could create. I used two cups of self-rising flour, two cups of plain fat-free strained Greek yogurt, and six tablespoons of olive oil. Working with these ingredients the result will be the most basic focaccia possible. The magic is all in the imagination and in the technique.

Let’s gather our ingredients. Of course, we need the flour and the yogurt. These two items are the basis for anything else we do. The next element is the six tablespoons of oil. The oil should be divided into three portions. Portion No. 1 is two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Portions 2 and 3 are a combination consisting of 1 1/3 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil combined with 2/3 tablespoon of a high quality flavored extra virgin olive oil each. I used hot pepper infused extra virgin olive oil for the focaccia that I made.

Next finely chop six cloves of garlic and divide the chopped garlic into two equal portions. I decided to go with basil as my herb. We can use fresh basil as I did. Or use dry basil. If using dry basil, two teaspoons will be just right. The next element is cheese. For this recipe, I used ½ cup hand shredded aged Parmigiano Reggiano divided. Now that we have our ingredients assembled, we can start the preparation.

We need a medium to large mixing bowl, either two glass pie pans or a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare the baking dish by spraying with nonstick spray. If using the pie pans, divide the unflavored extra virgin olive oil between the two pans. If using the large baking dish use all the oil spreading the oil coating the bottom of the pans. Set these aside for now.

For the dough, combine the flour, yogurt, one portion of garlic, half of the cheese, and one portion of the blended olive oils. Begin mixing using either a wooden or a silicon mixing spoon. I never use metal tools for this dough recipe. When a shaggy dough begins to form, set aside the spoon and work the dough with your hands for a maximum of two minutes or until a smooth dough ball forms. There is no need to add additional flour as there is always some residual flour at the bottom of the bowl that gets worked into the dough ball.

If using the pie pans divide the dough ball into halves. Otherwise, leave the dough intact. Using your hands, work the dough into the baking dish on top of the oil coating. Work the dough out to completely and evenly fill the baking dish you are using. Spread the remaining chopped garlic and the remaining cheese evenly over the dough. Add the remaining flavored oil blend and spread it with the garlic an cheese over the entire surface of the dough. Using the fingertips gently press the oil and garlic into the surface of the dough.

Place the baking dishes into the 425-degree oven and bake for 23-25 minutes. Oven temperatures vary, so it is important to watch the focaccia to avoid burning. When the focaccia is golden brown, remove the pans from the oven and place on a cooling rack for a minimum of 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the focaccia should come free with just a tap to the sides of the baking dishes with the side of the hand. Turn out the focaccia and serve warm as is. Or further cool the focaccia and add any number of toppings. The variety is limitless.

The recipe can get even more exciting and fun. Use any combination of spices and cheese that strikes your fancy. I plan to experiment using feta, cheddar, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, even blue cheese. Consider using different herbs and seasonings. Feel free to use any variety of infused olive oil that you like. Remember the original premise that I started with. The third key ingredient is your imagination. Have fun and enjoy making focaccia. Ciao!