And yes, I already have a couple of wonderful focaccia recipes on this site, but they contain active dry yeast. And yeast is still unavailable in some grocery stores. But some good news. If your grocery store carries bulk items, you might find yeast in that section. In fact, the last time Mr. C. was at our local IGA, there was a sign where the regular jars and packages of active dried yeast usually reside that directed shoppers to the bulk section. But there was still no packaged active dry yeast available. They did however have a jar of instant/rapid-rise yeast. So Mr. C. not only bought me a jar of instant yeast, he brought home a little baggie containing bulk yeast. Neither of which I have used to date.

Now I don’t normally use instant/rapid rise yeast, so I thought I better do some research. What I learned was that active dry yeast and instant (or rapid-rise) yeast are the two most common yeasts available to us as home bakers. The two yeasts can be used interchangeably in recipes, but fast-rising, or fast-acting yeast can shorten the rising time by as much as 50%. And basically it’s just as easy to use instant yeast in recipes calling for active dry yeast. Simply use the same amount of instant yeast in your recipe as regular active dry yeast. One difference to note however, is that you don’t need to dissolve instant yeast in water like you do with ordinary active dry yeast. You can simply add instant/rapid rise yeast along with your other dry ingredients. But always keep in mind, if you use instant or rapid-rise yeast in place of active dry yeast, you will need to shorten the rising time specified in your recipe, or at the very least, pay greater attention to the dough as it rises.

So now you know as much about instant or rapid rise yeast as I do. (Actually you probably already knew about instant yeast. I’m the one that needed a good learnin’ on the subject!) Which is to say, I didn’t really know anything about using rapid-rise yeast. But I’m going to learn. And as I discover more about the subject, I will share my knowledge with you. Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

I made this focaccia for dinner last evening, and it was so good. Kind of chewy, a faint sourdough flavor, and a lot of garlic power. And although I had played with the dough a lot during the day (you’ll see what I mean when you read the recipe directions), the dough itself was really easy to build. And since I’m pretty much confined to quarters anyway, what better thing to do with my time than play with bread dough instead of thinking about how the world is falling apart around us!

So as always, stay calm, stay focused on what really counts in your life, and if you have any kind of influence with your favorite deity, could you please ask for some additional help here. Mother earth is in dire need of any positive assistance it can get. Thank you.

½ c. sourdough starter

½ c. slightly warm water

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, or more as needed

¾ tsp. sea salt

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus a bit more to oil the dough before letting it rise and to grease the baking pan

3-4 garlic cloves, finely minced 

1¼ tsp. roughly minced fresh rosemary  

fleur de sel or other flaky sea salt

In the bowl of your stand mixer, using your paddle attachment, combine the starter, water, and 1½ cups of the flour to form a thick batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

Switch to your dough hook. Add the sea salt, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and as much of the remaining all-purpose flour as needed to form a sticky dough, but one that clears the bowl and clings to the hook after kneading for about 5 minutes.

Pour a bit of oil in the bowl, and using your hands, form a lightly greased ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 3-5 hours.

Every hour punch down the dough and flip it over in the bowl. When the dough is ready, it will have an almost elastic quality. (My dough took a little over 4 hours.)

While the dough is rising, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring often, until a very light golden brown. (Be careful not to let the garlic burn.) Remove from heat and set aside.

When the dough has finished its long first rise, lightly oil a small rimmed sheet pan with olive oil. Place the dough onto the oiled pan (trying not to deflate too much) and flip it over to coat it with the oil. Use your fingers to spread the dough to a ½-inch thickness. Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour until well risen and puffy.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use your fingers to dimple the top of the dough all over. Brush with the garlic and infused olive oil. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and the roughly chopped rosemary.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. The internal temperature should register at least 190 degrees.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing.

And yes, you can easily double this recipe.