FOCACCIA FOR TWO (AND THE BEST SANDWICH YOU'LL EVER EAT)

I don’t tend to do a lot of end-of-year introspection and review, or New Years goal setting for that matter, but I do love looking back on food I’ve made in the last year and seeing what culinary memories made an impression on me. 2022 was the year of the sandwich, and I was particularly obsessed with making what I called Outrageously Thicc Sandwiches (I had a whole album on my phone of pictures I’d send my sister of these delicious but ludicrous creations), sandwiches that were so packed with flavor they were taller than they were wide, sometimes resembling the leaning tower of Pisa more than they resembled anything you’d buy at a normal sandwich shop. 

2023, I think, has been the year of focaccia. I made it for Easter family dinner, for my sister’s summer birthday, for a Friendsgiving dinner, and for my own random cravings a dozen times in between. It’s delicious in springtime, great for a summer picnic, fantastic for a simple Italian meal in fall, it’s even been featured at our Christmas dinner a time or two… it’s truly a bread for all seasons.
The most dangerous and revolutionary moment this year, though, was when I realized I could have fresh, warm, delicious focaccia any day I wanted, or even *every* day! With no leftovers or stale bread to worry about, by scaling a recipe down and down and down until I had the right amount for just two servings. 

I know, I know. Focaccia for two? Who goes to the effort of making homemade bread from scratch and only makes two servings? Even if the meal you’re making is for one or two people, wouldn’t you WANT leftovers? But hear me out. Some foods (Chili. Bolognese. Vegetable Soup.) taste better the second day, or even the third. Bread is not one of those foods. Two-day old bread is still good, and three day old bread is fine, but NOTHING compares to fresh, hot-out-of-the-oven, still-a-bit-warm focaccia that’s crackly on the outside with a pillowy-soft middle. 

What if I told you that there’s a bread recipe that’s so easy it takes only about 15 hands-on minutes to make, and only uses one cup of flour? Would it change your life? 

Ok, probably not, but it will bring a tiny bit more joy into your day, every time you make it. 

Focaccia for Two

  • 1 cup flour (130 grams)

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ¼ teaspoon yeast

  • ½ c warm water (118 grams / milliliters)

  • Olive oil

  • Kosher salt, flakey sea salt, or pretzel salt for topping

  • Rosemary, optional for topping

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, and yeast with a whisk or fork. Add the water, and mix with a rubber spatula until the water is absorbed and there’s no dry flour left at the bottom of the bowl. 

Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled. You can do this in a warm spot in the kitchen for about 2 hours (depending on the temperature of your kitchen), or you can mix it up the night before and let it rise in the fridge.

Prepare a pan (I used an 1/8th sheet pan but you could use a cake pan or pie plate) with parchment paper on the bottom and then grease with olive oil. Deflate the dough and transfer to the plate, turning it until it’s covered in the olive oil, then let it rest in the pan.
This pre-baking rest will take about 45 min at room temp, if the dough has been in the fridge overnight, closer to 1.5 hours. 

Once it’s rested, drizzle about 1 tablespoon olive oil over the dough, and then press your fingertips into the dough, stretching it thin across the pan, and leaving dimples across the entire surface of the dough. 

Sprinkle with pretzel salt, kosher salt, or flakey sea salt (and some rosemary if you want to go with a traditional focaccia flavor).

Bake for 18-25 minutes until it’s golden on top and crisp on the bottom. Let it cool completely if you’re going to be slicing it in half for sandwiches. 

The Best Sandwich I’ve Ever Eaten

You can eat the focaccia on its own or use it to make whatever kind of sandwich you want, but this sandwich is my favorite. 

 
 

This creation was a happy accident that I made on a whim for lunch one day, and immediately deemed it The Best Sandwich I’ve Ever Eaten. I had to make it for my mom to try, then again for the whole family for my sister’s birthday dinner…and many times since. It’s now known in our family as just The Sandwich.

  • Focaccia

  • Grilled chicken

  • Basil pesto (in summer) or olive salad (in winter)

  • Arugula 

  • Artichoke hearts

  • Bell pepper, thinly sliced

  • Fresh mozzarella 

  • Duke’s Mayonnaise (this is not an ad or a sponsored mention, I just want good things for you, so I want you to use the best. And Duke’s is the best)

Thinly slice the grilled chicken. Chopping it will make it too easily for the chicken to fall out of the sandwich, and thick slices will take up too much space. Thin slices is where it’s at. 

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the top slice of bread, and a layer of pesto on the bottom slice. 

Add the artichoke hearts to the bottom of the sandwich, then layer bell pepper, and grilled chicken. 

Finish with a handful of arugula that’s been tossed with a drop of olive oil and sprinkle of salt, and then top with the upper slice of bread. 

 

Further Reading: 

I’ve referenced 4-5 focaccia recipes this year in my search for the perfect recipe, and these are my top 3 favorites I’d recommend if you want to try larger quantities or different mix-ins: 

  • Leek and Garlic Focaccia from the Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day cookbook

  • Focaccia for a Crowd from the Smitten Kitchen website

  • Overnight Refrigerator Focaccia from Alexandra’s Kitchen blog

| Credits: Author: Abigail Cavanaugh Photography: Emily O’Neal |

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