[donotprint]Of all the foods we crave on a gluten-free diet, bread is always at the top of the list. Especially homemade bread. But many of us assume that there isn’t time to bake bread when we barely have time to get dinner on the table, let alone fuss with yeast and rising times, etc.
Gluten-Free Focaccia
Personally, I love the aroma is bread baking in the oven. But when I’m baking bread for just my husband and me I don’t want a full-size recipe. I want just enough bread for us. So, when I wrote my recent cookbook, Gluten-Free Cooking for Two, I included a small recipe for Focaccia just for the two of us. So, here is my small-batch version. [/donotprint]
FOCACCIA
Reproduced with permission from Gluten-Free Cooking for Two by Carol Fenster (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017)
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Focaccia is a flatbread, similar to pizza. One of the easiest yeast breads you will ever make, this downsized recipe is full of flavor. It makes a 4×8-inch loaf that is about 1 1/2-inches high. Like most gluten-free yeast breads, this one is best when eaten the same day it is baked.
DOUGH
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
[1/3] cup warm (110°F) milk of choice
[3/4] cup Gluten-Free Flour Blend (see below)
[1/2] teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or [1/2] teaspoon dried (crushed in your palm)
[1/4] teaspoon onion powder
[1/8] teaspoon salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon olive oil (plus more for the pan)
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
TOPPING
2 teaspoons olive oil
[1/2] teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or [1/4] teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
[1/8] teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese or soy Parmesan, for garnish
[1] Make the dough: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm milk. Set aside to foam for about 5 minutes. Generously coat a 4×8-inch nonstick pan (gray, not black) with olive oil.
[2] In a medium mixing bowl, beat the yeast-milk mixture and all of the remaining dough ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. The dough will be very soft and sticky.
[3] With a wet spatula, spread the dough evenly in the pan. Cover with aluminum foil and let rise at room temperature (75⁰F to 85⁰F) until the dough is doubled in height, about 30 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle the dough with the topping of oil, rosemary, salt, and Parmesan cheese.
[4] While the bread rises, place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400⁰F. Bake the bread until the top is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 8 slices with an electric or serrated knife before serving slightly warm.
per serving: 110 calories; 3 g protein; 3g total fat; 1g fiber; 19 grams carbohydrates; 38 mgs cholesterol; 181 mgs sodium
Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1 ½ cups sorghum flour (or brown rice flour)
1 ½ cups potato starch (not potato flour)
1 cup tapioca flour/starch
Whisk together until thoroughly combined and store, tightly closed, in a dark, dry place.
