Susan Jung’s recipe for breakfast focaccia that is delicious throughout the day
Easy to make, the bread can be tailored to any taste with a variety of different toppings
I rarely eat breakfast before going to work and, on the weekends, I tend to wake up late, so, really, this dish should be called brunch focaccia. Whatever time of day you eat this (the focaccia also makes a good light lunch), it’s not difficult to prepare and much of the process is spent waiting for the dough to rise.
Breakfast focaccia
Focaccia is one of the easiest breads to make. The dough, when freshly made, is very soft and sticky, and you might be tempted to add more flour so you can knead it – but don’t. Just mix the dough quickly with your hands, transfer it to a well-oiled bowl, pour more oil on top then let it rise in the fridge. The chilled, oiled dough is easy to handle, although it will still be soft. For breakfast (or brunch) focaccia, take the dough from the fridge as soon as you wake up; by the time you get washed and dressed, it will have warmed slightly. Cut the dough into eight pieces and shape them before leaving them on the baking tray to rise. In 30 minutes – about the time it takes to preheat the oven and make the toppings – the dough is ready to bake.
I made vegetarian toppings (kale and mushroom, and zucchini and tomato) on this occasion; you can also use other vegetables such as sliced bell peppers or eggplant. You might want to add meat: cubed pancetta, sliced Spanish chorizo or crumbled fresh sausage (no need to cook the meats in advance).
For the dough:
550 grams plain (all-purpose) flour
15 grams fine sea salt
2 grams (½ tsp) instant yeast
450ml tepid water
About 100ml olive oil, or as needed
For the toppings:
About 20ml cooking oil, plus more for frying the eggs
80 grams kale leaves
100 grams button mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, divided
200 grams zucchini
15-20 cherry tomatoes
Fine sea salt, rough-flaked sea salt (such as Maldon) and freshly ground black pepper
8 eggs (optional)
Crumbled feta (or use a vegetarian cheese)
Use about 40ml of olive oil to liberally grease a medium-size mixing bowl. Put the flour into another bowl and thoroughly mix in the salt. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, stir briefly then pour the mixture over the flour. Use your hand to mix the ingredients: the dough will be soft and sticky.
