Focaccia
A soft and airy Italian focaccia with a golden crust, generously flavoured with olive oil, rosemary and flaky sea salt. Its highly hydrated dough and two rising stages create a light, tender crumb full of bubbles.
About 320 kcal per serving
Ingredients
- wheat flour (bread flour or high-protein tipo 00 flour)500 g
- water (lukewarm, about 25°C)400 ml
- instant dry yeast7 g
- fine salt (for the dough)12 g
- granulated sugar (to support yeast activity)5 g
- extra virgin olive oil (for the dough, tin and finishing)90 ml
- water (for the finishing brine)30 ml
- flaky sea salt (for the topping)5 g
- fresh rosemary (leaves removed and roughly chopped)8 g
Preparation
Activate the yeast
Pour the lukewarm water into a large bowl. Add the dry yeast and sugar, then stir briefly. Leave for five to ten minutes, until a light foam forms on the surface.
Mix the dough
Add the flour and mix until no dry flour remains. Add the salt and thirty millilitres of olive oil, then continue mixing for two to three minutes. The dough should remain very soft, wet and sticky.
Rest the dough
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for twenty minutes at room temperature. This allows the flour to absorb the water and makes folding easier.
Perform the folds
Wet one hand, grasp one edge of the dough, gently stretch it upwards and fold it into the centre. Rotate the bowl by a quarter turn and repeat on the other three sides. Cover and rest for fifteen minutes. Perform two more sets of folds at fifteen-minute intervals.
Complete the first rise
Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise for one to one and a half hours in a warm place, until nearly doubled in volume and full of bubbles.
Prepare the baking tin
Pour about thirty millilitres of olive oil into a rectangular baking tin measuring roughly thirty by forty centimetres. Oil the base and sides, then gently transfer the dough without deflating it.
Stretch the dough
With oiled fingers, gently stretch the dough towards the edges. If it springs back, let it rest for ten minutes before continuing. Do not force it, so the air bubbles are preserved.
Proof in the tin
Cover without touching the dough and leave to rise for forty-five to sixty minutes. The dough should become puffy, jiggly and full of visible bubbles. Preheat the oven to 230°C during the final twenty minutes.
Create the dimples
Generously oil your fingers, then press them vertically into the dough until they nearly reach the base of the tin. Distribute the dimples over the entire surface without flattening the dough completely.
Add the brine and rosemary
Mix thirty millilitres of water with the remaining thirty millilitres of olive oil. Pour the emulsion over the dough, allowing it to collect in the dimples. Scatter the rosemary and flaky sea salt evenly.
Bake the focaccia
Bake in the lower part of the oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes. The focaccia should be risen, deeply golden on top and crisp underneath.
Cool and serve
Leave the focaccia in the tin for five minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool for fifteen to twenty minutes before slicing so the crumb can set.
Tips & tricks
- Use high-protein flour to give the highly hydrated dough enough structure.
- Weigh the flour and water accurately to maintain the correct hydration.
- Do not add too much flour, even if the dough feels sticky.
- Perform several folds during the first rise to strengthen the gluten network.
- Oil the baking tin generously to create a crisp base and prevent sticking.
- Allow the dough to relax before stretching it fully to the edges of the tin.
- Press your fingers deeply into the dough without tearing it to create the characteristic dimples.
- Add the oil brine just before baking to keep the surface tender.
- Bake until both the top and underside are deeply golden.
- Cool on a rack so trapped steam does not soften the base.
Variations
- Add halved cherry tomatoes before baking.
- Scatter pitted black or green olives over the surface.
- Replace the rosemary with thyme, oregano or sage.
- Add thinly sliced red onions lightly coated in oil.
- Top with thin potato slices for a more substantial focaccia.
- Mix mashed roasted garlic into the finishing oil.
- Scatter mozzarella or grated cheese over the top before baking.
Storage
Focaccia keeps for up to two days at room temperature in a paper bag placed inside a container or wrapped in a clean cloth. To restore the crisp crust, reheat for five to eight minutes in a 180°C oven. It can be frozen for up to two months, cut into portions and tightly wrapped. Thaw at room temperature, then reheat in the oven.
Nutrition facts(per serving)
| Calories | 320 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 8 g |
| Carbs | 45 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugars | 2 g |
What to serve with this recipe?
- Grilled vegetable antipasti
- Burrata and tomatoes
- Minestrone soup
- Rocket salad
Frequently asked questions
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