Rosemary Focaccia is an artisanal bread with chewy texture, kissed with fragrant rosemary and infused with extra virgin olive oil.
Just the word "focaccia" sounds intimidating to me. Not too intimidating to devour whole, mind you, just intimidating enough to make from scratch. I picture a charming Italian grandmother, carefully kneading dough and letting it rise under her watchful eye. There must be some trick to make this Italian flat bread taste so delicious. Well, I did not need to look very far. Keith can make focaccia in his sleep. He made it every day at one of the restaurants where he worked. So let us say, he has definitely perfected the art.
Keith's focaccia is pretty incredible, and it is surprisingly easy to make. It just requires a few simple ingredients and a little patience (as you wait for the dough to rise). One batch of this stuff, and you will find it hard to eat store-bought bread again. Keith's choice to add fresh rosemary takes it over the top for me.
There is nothing better than this flavorful bread, piping hot and right out of the oven. The olive oil gives it a rich flavor and a moist, slightly dense bite. It is the perfect side dish to any meal. We also like to slice it thickly and use it for sandwiches the next day. The secret is out. You do not need an experienced Italian grandmother in your kitchen to make focaccia.... just a little help from Superman.
Ingredients
- YEAST: active dry yeast
- FLOUR: AP flour (all purpose flour)
- SUGAR: granulated sugar
- SALT: kosher salt or sea salt
- WARM WATER: warm water (110-115°F)
- ROSEMARY: fresh rosemary sprigs
- OLIVE OIL: use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford
*see recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Proof the Yeast: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine water, sugar and yeast and mix. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to activate yeast (it will look frothy)
- Knead the Dough: Combine flour and salt. Add to liquid mixture and knead until dough forms and pulls away from bowl. Roll onto floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and just slightly tacky.
- Add Olive Oil: Add 2 tablespoon olive oil to a large bowl and roll dough to coat.
- First Dough Rise: Cover bowl with towel and sit in a warm place until dough has doubled (about an hour).
- Spread Dough Into Sheet Pan: Pour half of the oil onto a 13" X 9" sheet pan and transfer dough to pan. Spread out with finger tips filling dough into corners.
- Add More Olive Oil: Drizzle remaining oil on top of dough (this will seem like too much oil, however this will be absorbed into the dough) and press finger tips into dough to form dimples into dough (see photo).
- Sprinkle with Rosemary: Remove leaves from stems of rosemary and roughly chop and spread evenly on dough.
- Second Dough Rise: Allow to sit until oven is preheated to 425°F.
- Bake: Sprinkle top of dough with kosher salt and bake for 20-25 minutes until bread is golden brown.
- Allow the Bread to Cool: Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve: This bread is great dipped into a dish of your best olive oil.
Top tip
Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford! Olive oil is a key ingredient to focaccia bread, so you want to make sure you start with a good oil that is fresh and fruity, with some bitterness.
Variations
- PARMESAN: freshly grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on top before baking or mixed into the dough gives focaccia another layer of flavor
- PEPPERS: hot or sweet peppers add spice and flavor. Try our Pickled Pepper Focaccia Bread recipe.
- GARLIC: mix in some minced garlic for more depth.
Storage
- Store at room Temperature: wrap sliced focaccia in several layers of plastic wrap, then place it in an airtight container for up to 2 days
- Freeze: wrap bread in plastic wrap, then in airtight container or freezer bags. Store for up to 1 month.
- Reheat: in a 375°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes, in the microwave, or in the toaster. Defrost frozen bread to room temperature before reheating.
- Do Not Refrigerate. Refrigerating focaccia bread will cause the starch to crystalize
FAQ
Focaccia is a classic Italian bread that is baked in an oil-coated pan to give a chewy, oven-baked texture with olive oil-infused flavor. It's similar to pizza dough but thicker and often topped with herbs, vegetables, or cheese.
Yes, you can substitute dried rosemary for fresh in this focaccia recipe. However, keep in mind that dried rosemary tends to be more potent, so you should use less. Generally, you can use about one-third to one-half the amount of dried rosemary compared to fresh.
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Rosemary Focaccia recipe
A versatile bread that is simple to make and goes well with any meal.
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 1 large pan 1x
Ingredients
- 1 package active yeast
- 5 C AP flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 ¾ C warm water (110-115°F)
- 4-5 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 C olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine water, sugar and yeast and mix.
- Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to activate yeast( it will look frothy )
- Combine flour and salt and add to liquid mixture and knead until dough forms and pulls away from bowl.
- Roll onto floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and just slightly tacky.
- Add 2 tablespoon oil to a large bowl and roll dough to coat.
- Cover bowl with towel and sit in a warm place until dough has doubled ( about an hour)
- Pour half of the oil onto a 13x9 sheet pan and transfer dough to pan and spread out with finger tips filling dough into corners.
- Drizzle remaining oil on top of dough (this will seem like too much oil, however this will be absorbed into the dough) and press finger tips into dough to form dimples into dough.
- Remove leaves from stems of Rosemary and roughly chop and spread evenly on dough.
- Allow to sit until oven is preheated to 425°F.
- Sprinkle top of dough with kosher salt and bake for 20-25 minutes until bread is golden brown.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
- This bread is great dipped into a dish of your best olive oil.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Italian
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