best easy focaccia

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Three Things Worth Enjoying

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Hello, everyone, and hi to all the new people this week. Look what’s happening in Sydney…tulips! Spring is here on 1 September and I can’t wait!

This week I wanted to share three things worth enjoying. Let’s go!

1. Consider making bread. Gluten and carbs, I know, I know, but this is so fun. I’ve written about this easy focaccia before, and if you want to feel domestic and successful, you can make it.

2. Dust off your beautiful dishes and use them. When our beloved ‘adopted’ Australian grandmother died, we inherited her set of Royal Crown Derby. Her real family was kind enough to ask if we’d like them (before they went in the Op Shop box - gah!)…and I use them on the weekends. I’m guessing there are pretty things in your cupboards, too.

3. Share some gratitude. Not just be grateful. Share “grateful.” Spread some heartfelt compliments. Tell the people you love that you see what they’re doing. Say something fun and appreciative today to a person who might not expect it. It’s an old, tired cliche because it’s true:

Everyone, everyone, everyone needs a kind word. You can give it.

Enjoy your weekend, and have fun loving all the people you’ve been given to love.

Catherine xx

PS. The fun stuff!

I share links here to things I’m enjoying. Sometimes it’s a product I’ve bought, sometimes a poem or a recipe, a quote or a thought or an activity. Or a book I’ve written. No pressure, just for fun.

The Easiest Focaccia Ever!

Hello, friends!

What is it about cold Aussie winters and wanting to cook and bake?? That’s me this weekend. Brrr, I’m freezing (relative, I know, and I remember my Canadian life and laugh at myself now)…but I’ve made this delicious focaccia and wanted to share.

Bread: yes, you can make it and it’s easy. Many of you already do (hi, family!) but in case you haven’t given it a whirl yet, please let me introduce you to the easiest and best focaccia recipe ever.

You make the dough the day before, but it only takes five minutes.

Ready? Let’s go.

The day before you want to pull freshly baked focaccia from your oven and have your family or guests eat the entire pan (YES, THEY WILL), make the dough and pop it in your fridge overnight.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups plain flour

  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 2 cups lukewarm water (I combine 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 1/2 cups cold water)

  • olive oil

  • sea salt and rosemary (fresh or dried), optional, for the top of the focaccia

  1. Make the dough - this takes 5 minutes, max! Whisk the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water and mix into a sticky dough ball. Rub the surface with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and pop the bowl in your fridge overnight (or for as long as 3 days).

  2. The next day: remove the dough from the fridge. Using two forks, deflate it by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling the dough towards the centre.

  3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 3-4 hours on your kitchen bench top.

  4. Line a 9x13 pan with baking paper. Put the dough in the pan. Pull it into shape with your hands. Drizzle with olive oil.

Then comes the fun part!

5. Preheat the oven to 220C fan forced or 425 F.

6. Use your fingers to dimple the dough. Sprinkle with sea salt and lots of rosemary if you love it.

7. Bake. For my oven at 220 C fan forced, it takes around 16 minutes. It may take as long as 25 minutes to bake, depending on your oven. If this helps, the internal temp of the bread should be over 200F.

Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Make sure you have delicious dips or soups or cheese on hand. You can dip the focaccia in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, of course, or butter it. You can toast it or grill it for sandwiches, but ours never lasts that long.

Literally every time I’ve made this focaccia, all of it is gone within an hour.

It’s just SO DELICIOUS warm.

Enjoy your day, and I’ll be back next Sunday with a little more happiness in your inbox.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!