Focaccia with zucchini

Focaccia with zucchini is a delicious and soft leavened bread, perfect for an aperitif or as an accompaniment to meals. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 500 g of type 00 flour
• 300 ml of lukewarm water
• 10 g of fresh brewer’s yeast
• 10 g of sugar
• 10 g of fine salt
• 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil, plus some for greasing and brushing
• 2 medium zucchinis
• Fresh rosemary (to taste)
• Coarse salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the brewer’s yeast with sugar in the lukewarm water. Let it rest for a few minutes until a light foam starts to form on the surface.
2. Add half of the flour to the water with yeast and start kneading. Gradually pour in the olive oil while kneading.
3. Incorporate the rest of the flour and add the salt. Knead until you obtain a homogeneous and slightly sticky mixture.
4. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work it for about 10 minutes.
5. Place the dough in a bowl greased with oil, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume.
6. In the meantime, slice the zucchinis into thin rounds.
7. Once the dough has risen, gently spread it onto a greased baking tray, creating a rectangle or a circle, depending on the shape you prefer.
8. Distribute the zucchini rounds on the surface of the focaccia, pressing them slightly into the dough.
9. Let the focaccia rest for another 30 minutes.
10. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
11. Sprinkle the focaccia with chopped rosemary, coarse salt, and a grind of black pepper. Brush the surface with extra virgin olive oil.
12. Bake the focaccia with zucchini for about 20-25 minutes, or until it becomes golden brown.
13. Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack before serving.

Curiosities

Focaccia is a leavened bread found in many regional varieties in Italy, with the Genoese focaccia being perhaps the most famous. The addition of zucchini is a way to bring a touch of vegetables and color, and also makes it a bit lighter compared to the classic version with only oil and rosemary. You can further enrich the taste by adding zucchini flowers or other types of aromatic herbs to your liking.