Crescente / focaccia with Rosemary (and Fennel)

Name: Crescente / focaccia with Rosemary (and Fennel) - Raluca N.
Ingredients: Dough like bread (everyone makes it as they like): 500 g flour; 20 g fresh yeast; 1 teaspoon of salt; oil or melted butter; rosemary; fennel (instead; we can use: onion; diced cheese; small whole or halved tomatoes; olives; etc.)

Meat - Crescente / focaccia with Rosemary (and Fennel) by Raluca N. - Recipia

To obtain a delicious and aromatic bread, the first steps are essential. We start by dissolving the salt in water or milk at room temperature, ensuring that the mixture becomes homogeneous. Personally, I prefer a mix of water and milk, which adds a pleasant creaminess to the dough. It is important to add the salt gradually so that no crystals form that could affect the final consistency of the dough. Once the salt has completely dissolved, we begin to add the flour. We start kneading with hands greased with oil or melted butter, making sure that the dough becomes soft and elastic. We knead for a good few minutes until the dough easily pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It is time to let it rise, covering it with a clean towel in a warm place until it doubles in volume. This process usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the room temperature. While the dough is rising, we can prepare the baking tray. We grease a tray with oil, ensuring it is evenly coated. After the dough has risen, we pour it into the tray. Using our fingers, we start to press the dough, gently stretching it so that it reaches an even height of about 2 fingers. It is important not to stretch it too much to maintain a fluffy texture. After we have stretched the dough, we let it rise a little more while preheating the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. This step will ensure further rising of the dough in the oven. At this point, we can add the desired flavors. We sprinkle fresh rosemary on the surface of the dough, being careful to distribute it evenly. If we wish, we can gently pinch the dough with two fingers and cover each piece of rosemary slightly so that the flavor infuses into the bread during baking. Finally, we brush the surface of the dough with a mixture of oil and milk or oil and yogurt. This glaze will give a golden and appetizing crust. It is important not to be stingy at this step; we want to have a liquid about 1-2 mm above the dough. Once we have ensured everything is ready, we place the tray in the preheated oven and bake the bread until it is beautifully browned, which will take about 25-30 minutes. The aromas will spread throughout the kitchen, and the final result will be a fluffy and delicious bread, perfect to be enjoyed with butter, cheese, or even on its own!