Panera Bread Focaccia (Copycat Recipe)

Panera Bread sells, sea salt focaccia’s which happens to be the bread they make for the frontega chicken panini. Focaccia can be served as an appetizer with dipping oil, pasta and panini’s. 

Though focaccia is a flat yeast bread it should not be dense and heavy. Since there is rising time involved, what seems to be flat looking dough actually creates an amazing sandwich bread! It makes a tasty appetizer that can be dipped in a seasoned olive oil (my husband loves.) This recipe makes 3 round loaves or one sheet-pan size. It’s freezer friendly and re-heats easily! Using a good amount of oil is needed for a nice exterior so don’t skimp on the oil called for. If focaccia is a new kind of bread for you don’t be intimated to try it, it’s actually not that complicated. And if you haven’t tried the Frontega chicken Panini,  MAKE THIS Panera Bread Focaccia for the sandwich alone, it’s DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups warm water
• 1 TBSP dry yeast
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 2 tsp coarse kosher salt, divided
• 4 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions how to make Panera Bread Focaccia:

1. Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow to poof for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and gradually add in the flour with the mixer running on low. Knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky. Place into a greased bowl and lightly grease the top with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Allow rising 1 hour in a warm place.

3. Grease three 9-inch round pans with 4 TBSP of olive oil. Set aside.

4. Turn dough over onto a working surface and cut into 3 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place into greased pans. Spread dough out and grease the tops using the oil from the pans. Indent each dough with the tips of your fingers. Let rise 25 minutes in a warm place.

5. Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly make indents on the tops of dough and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

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Panera Bread Focaccia (Copycat Recipe)

Prep Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours

Servings: 12 servings

Author: Alyona Demyanchuk

Panera Bread sells, sea salt focaccia's which happens to be the bread they make for the frontega chicken panini. Focaccia is a flat oven baked loaf of bread made from yeast. Though flat it's not heavy or dense. Focaccia can be served as an appetizer with an olive oil dip, with pasta and of coarse panini's.

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water
• 1 TBSP dry yeast
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 2 tsp coarse kosher salt divided
• 4 1/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup olive oil divided

Instructions

• Combine the water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow to poof 5 minutes.
• Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and gradually add in the flour with the mixer running on low. Knead for 5 minutes. Dough should be smooth and slightly tacky. Place into a greased bowl and lightly grease the top with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Allow to rise 1 hour in a warm place.
• Grease three 9-inch round pans with 4 TBSP of olive oil. Set aside.
• Turn dough over onto a working surface and cut into 3 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place into greased pans. Spread dough out and grease the tops using the oil from the pans. Indent each dough with the tips of your fingers. Let rise 25 minutes in a warm place or until doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly make indents on the tops of dough and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Notes

Sheet-pan instructions: To make one sheet-pan sized focaccia with this recipe, grease a 18x13 pan with 4 Tbsp of oil and proceed from step 3. 

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1servingCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 389mgPotassium: 51mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gCalcium: 7mgIron: 2mg