This rustic Italian flatbread is impossibly light and airy with a golden, dimpled crust and tender crumb studded with aromatic rosemary and sea salt. Perfect as an appetizer, side dish, or simply torn apart and enjoyed with good olive oil, focaccia transforms simple ingredients into an irresistible artisan bread that will make your kitchen smell absolutely divine.
⏱️205 min
📊Medium
👥8 servings
🍽️Starter
vegetarianbudget-friendlyfamilyfestive
Ingredients
500 gall-purpose flour
325 mlwarm water
7 ginstant yeast
75 mlextra virgin olive oil
10 gsea salt
15 gfresh rosemary
5 gcoarse sea salt for topping
Instructions
1MIX THE DOUGH: In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g of all-purpose flour, 7g of instant yeast, and 10g of sea salt. Create a well in the center and gradually pour in 325ml of warm water (around 27-30°C) while mixing with your fingers or a wooden spoon until all flour is incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. The dough should be quite wet and sticky, almost like a thick batter—this is essential for focaccia's characteristic open crumb structure. Don't worry if it seems too wet; this is correct.
2KNEAD AND AUTOLYSE: Add 50ml of extra virgin olive oil to the dough and incorporate it thoroughly by folding and kneading the dough in the bowl for about 8-10 minutes, using the stretch-and-fold method rather than traditional kneading. The dough should become smoother and more cohesive, though still quite moist. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This initial rest period, called autolyse, begins developing gluten structure without the need for aggressive kneading, which would make the dough tough.
3PERFORM BULK FERMENTATION: After the 30-minute rest, perform a series of stretch-and-fold movements: wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the center, then rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat four times. Do this every 30 minutes for a total of 3-4 cycles over 2-2.5 hours. By the final fold, the dough should have increased in volume by about 50-75%, feel airy and pillowy, and show visible bubbles when you gently stretch a small piece. This slower fermentation develops incredible flavor and texture.
4PREPARE THE PAN AND SHAPE: Pour the remaining 25ml of extra virgin olive oil onto a 13x9 inch (33x23cm) rectangular baking pan, coating it generously and reserving a little for the top. Using oiled hands or a dough scraper, gently transfer the dough to the prepared pan, being careful not to deflate it too much. Gently stretch the dough to fill the corners of the pan—if it resists, let it rest for 5 minutes and stretch again. The dough should be about 1.5-2cm thick and fill the pan evenly. Drizzle the remaining 10ml of olive oil over the top and let it rest uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature until the dough rises again and looks puffy.
5DIMPLE AND SEASON: About 15 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F). Using your fingertips, gently press dimples all over the surface of the focaccia dough, starting from the edges and working toward the center. Create roughly 20-30 dimples total, pressing down about 1cm deep but not all the way to the bottom of the pan. These dimples not only create focaccia's signature appearance but also catch pools of olive oil and salt that add incredible flavor and texture. Sprinkle fresh rosemary leaves (about 15g) into and around the dimples, then generously top with 5g of coarse sea salt, distributing it evenly across the surface. The salt should be visible and prominent.
6BAKE UNTIL GOLDEN: Place the focaccia in the preheated 220°C oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the surface is deeply golden brown with some lighter golden spots and the edges are slightly darker and crispy. The focaccia is done when the top is set and golden, and when you gently lift the pan, the bottom should also be golden. A good indicator is when you tap the bottom and hear a slightly hollow sound. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. If you prefer softer edges, transfer directly from the pan to the rack; for crispier edges, leave it in the pan to cool completely. The bread will finish cooking slightly from residual heat.