This authentic Italian flatbread is irresistibly soft and pillowy on the inside with a golden, crispy crust dotted with fragrant rosemary and coarse sea salt. With just a drizzle of quality olive oil and simple toppings, focaccia is the perfect appetizer, side dish, or canvas for your favorite spreads and cured meats. Once you master this rustic classic, you'll find yourself making it again and again.
⏱️115 min
📊Medium
👥8 servings
🍽️Starter
vegetarianbudget-friendlyfamily
Ingredients
500 gall-purpose flour
325 mlwarm water
7 ginstant yeast
60 mlextra virgin olive oil
10 gsea salt
2 tablespoonsfresh rosemary
3 piecesgarlic cloves
1 tablespooncoarse sea salt for topping
Instructions
1BLOOM THE YEAST: Pour the warm water (between 38-43°C or 100-110°F) into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the instant yeast over the surface. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy and fragrant, which indicates the yeast is alive and active. This blooming step ensures your focaccia will rise properly and develop excellent flavor.
2MIX THE DOUGH: Add the flour and 5 grams of fine sea salt to the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix for about 8-10 minutes until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough forms. The dough should be wetter than typical bread dough but still manageable; if it's too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the right consistency.
3INCORPORATE THE OLIVE OIL: Drizzle 30 ml of the extra virgin olive oil over the dough and knead for another 8-10 minutes by hand or machine until the oil is fully incorporated and the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly glossy. The dough should spring back when you poke it with your finger. This olive oil creates the characteristic tender crumb and rich flavor of authentic focaccia.
4FIRST RISE: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to coat all sides with oil. Cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, or until it has doubled in volume and shows signs of bubbles on the surface. You can also perform the poke test: gently poke the dough; if the indentation slowly springs back halfway, it's ready for the next step.
5SHAPE AND SECOND RISE: Pour the remaining 30 ml of olive oil onto a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking pan or similar sized sheet pan, spreading it evenly to coat. Gently turn the risen dough out onto the pan and use your fingertips to stretch it to fill the pan, creating an even layer about 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) thick. If the dough springs back, let it rest for 10 minutes and stretch again. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise for 30-40 minutes until puffy and studded with air bubbles on the surface.
6PREPARE TOPPINGS AND BAKE: While the dough rises, preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F). Finely mince the fresh rosemary and garlic cloves together. Using your fingertips, dimple the entire surface of the focaccia dough, creating characteristic deep indentations about 1 cm (0.4 inches) deep and evenly spaced about 2.5 cm (1 inch) apart. Drizzle lightly with a bit more olive oil if desired, then sprinkle the rosemary-garlic mixture and coarse sea salt over the top, pressing gently so the toppings adhere to the dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the focaccia is golden brown on top and the edges are deeply golden and crispy when you tap them with your knuckles.
7COOL AND SERVE: Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool for another 10-15 minutes. This prevents the bottom from becoming soggy. Serve warm or at room temperature with additional olive oil for drizzling, or enjoy it as is. Leftover focaccia can be wrapped in foil and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.