Homemade Focaccia Bread with Rosemary
This homemade focaccia bread has a wonderful crispy crust but is super soft and airy on the inside. The comforting flavors of the olive oil, rosemary and salt will make you crave for this.
Did I mention it is really easy to make? The only thing though, it needs a little time – it takes about 8 hours to proof and 30 minutes to bake in a preheated oven at 450°F.
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Ingredients for homemade focaccia bread
For this recipe, I used:
- flour: I used all purpose flour for this recipe and sifted it. Feel free to substitute with bread flour if you prefer. A 1:1 ratio works well.
- yeast
- salt
- water
- olive oil: A good, high quality olive oil makes this bread so crispy and tasty.
- rosemary: I used fresh rosemary leaves from my garden. Dried rosemary will also work well here along with oregano, basil, or any of your favorite herbs and seasonings.
How to make focaccia bread with rosemary
Knead the dough
Step 1: Measure out the flour and sift it over a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast and salt and stir to incorporate fully.
Step 2: Pour in the water all at once and stir to form a soft, sticky dough. You don’t need to get your hands dirty with this one – a silicone spatula does a great job to bring the dough together.
Leave the dough to proof
Step 3: Cover the dough. Place in the refrigerator for about 6 hours (you can keep it in the fridge anywhere from 6 to 18 hours).
Step 4: Remove the dough from the fridge.
Step 5: Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto the base of an 8-inch cake pan. Oil the sides too. You can use a loaf pan, baking dish or a bigger cake pan if you prefer. This one I’m using is a 9.5” cake pan.
Step 6: Add a little oil to your hands and gently form the dough into a tight smooth ball. Don’t overhandle the dough here since you don’t want to loose the air pockets already formed within. Place the dough ball into the center of the cake pan.
Step 7: Cover the dough and allow to proof for at least 2 hours.
Bake the bread
Step 8: Preheat the oven at 450°F.
Step 9: After the 2 hour proofing time, remove the cover. Dip your fingers into olive oil then press them into the dough, as deep as possible. Repeat until the dough is fully covered with dimples. You may need to dip your fingers back into the oil a couple times during this process to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
Step 10: Pour the remaining olive oil over the top of the bread so it flows into all the little dimples.
Step 11: Sprinkle the salt and rosemary leaves over the dough.
Step 12: Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top develops a gorgeous golden color. Remove from the oven and serve hot with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Focaccia bread recipe
Homemade focaccia bread with rosemary
Ingredients
- 250 g all purpose flour
- 1¼ tsp yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1¼ cup warm water
- 2½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Sift flour.
- Add sifted flour, yeast and salt to a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
- Pour in the water.
- Combine to form a sticky dough.
- Cover dough.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours (6 to 18 hours can work).
- Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to an 8” cake pan (or loaf pan or baking dish).
- Coat the sides of the pan with the oil.
- Remove the dough from the fridge.
- Add oil to your hands.
- Form the dough into a smooth tight ball (be gentle, don’t overwork the dough).
- Place the ball in the center of the oiled cake pan.
- Cover.
- Leave to proof for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven at 450°F.
- Remove the cover from dough.
- Dip fingers in the remaining oil.
- Press fingers into the dough, pushing deep towards the base of the pan.
- Repeat until the dough is covered with dimples.
- Pour the 1½ tbsp of olive oil over the dimples.
- Sprinkle salt and rosemary over the top.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (or until golden).
- Serve hot with olive oil or balsamic vinegar
