Focaccine in Padella (Pan-fried Focaccia)

Pan-fried focaccia is a practical and quick solution to enjoy something similar to homemade bread without having to use the oven. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 250 g of all-purpose flour
• 150 ml of lukewarm water
• 7 g of fresh yeast (or 2 g of dried yeast)
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Start by dissolving the fresh yeast in the lukewarm water, adding also the sugar to help activate it.
2. In a bowl, place the sifted flour and mix in the dissolved yeast at the center.
3. Add the salt to the sides (so it doesn’t directly contact the yeast, as it would inhibit its action) and start kneading.
4. Once you have a homogeneous mixture, add the oil and work the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
5. Let the dough rest covered with a damp cloth in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
6. Deflate the dough and divide it into small balls of the desired size.
7. With a rolling pin, roll out each ball to obtain discs about half a centimeter thick.
8. Heat a non-stick pan and cook each focaccia for about 2-3 minutes per side, until they puff up and show a light golden color.
9. Serve the focaccia warm, on their own or accompanied by cold cuts, cheeses, or whatever you prefer.

Curiosity

The pan-fried focaccia, also called “tigelle” in some areas of Italy, is a valid alternative to bread and can become the base for appetizers or small stuffed sandwiches. You can also enrich them by adding aromatic herbs such as rosemary or thyme into the dough to give them a more unique flavor.

If you do not have fresh yeast, you can opt for the dried one following the manufacturer’s instructions, generally the proportion is about 1/3 compared to the fresh one.