Easy Homemade Focaccia with Rosemary and Olive Oil Recipe
This easy focaccia recipe yields a fluffy, golden, and aromatic Italian flatbread perfect for sandwiches, dipping, or accompanying any meal. With simple ingredients like bread flour, olive oil, rosemary, and yeast, this bread is proofed multiple times for a light, airy texture and dimpled with olive oil and herbs before baking to create the classic focaccia crust.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 focaccia bread (approx. 9x13 inches) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 400 ml warm water (200 ml boiling water + 200 ml cold water)
- 7 g maple syrup
- 7 g instant yeast (ensure fresh and within use-by date)
- 7 g salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
- 500 g white bread flour
Topping
- 2 tsp dried rosemary
- Flaky salt (to taste)
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Mix the dough. Combine 400 ml warm water (mix of boiling and cold), 7 g maple syrup, 7 g instant yeast, 7 g salt, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 500 g white bread flour in a mixing bowl. Use a dough hook attachment on a mixer or stir gently by hand until a dough forms. Cover with a tea towel and place in an oven with just the light on (no heat) to proof for 10 minutes.
- First folding. Remove from oven, wet your hands slightly, fold the dough over itself about 8 times by lifting and folding sections, turning the bowl as you go. Return covered to the oven for another 10 minutes.
- Second and third folding. Repeat the folding process two more times, each followed by 10 minutes in the oven with the tea towel covering. The dough should visibly increase in size after each fold.
- Prepare for final rise. Drizzle a 13×9 inch baking dish with olive oil. Transfer the dough into the dish, spreading it out evenly. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in the oven for 2 hours.
- Preheat and dimple. Remove dough from oven and preheat oven to 180°C fan / 400°F. Drizzle more olive oil over the dough, then use your fingers to create dimples all over the surface to encourage air bubbles.
- Add toppings and bake. Drizzle additional olive oil over the dimples, sprinkle dried rosemary and flaky salt evenly. Place the focaccia in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden, slightly crunchy on top, and fluffy inside.
- Cool and serve. Remove from oven and let the focaccia cool slightly before serving. Enjoy as is or with your favorite toppings and spreads.
Notes
- Use fresh instant yeast to ensure proper rising.
- The step of folding the dough multiple times helps develop gluten and creates airiness.
- Proofing in an unheated oven with the light on creates a warm environment ideal for dough rising.
- If your baking dish is not non-stick, use parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Dimples in focaccia allow olive oil to pool, adding flavor and texture.
- Adjust flaky salt and rosemary seasoning to your taste preference.
Keywords: focaccia, easy focaccia recipe, Italian bread, homemade focaccia, rosemary focaccia, bread dough, baking bread
