Rosemary Focaccia
Quick answer
Rosemary focaccia is an Italian olive-oil bread made from a high-hydration dough that is proofed twice, dimpled with fingertips, topped with rosemary, minced garlic, and...
What makes this special
- A dimpled rosemary focaccia is baked with olive oil, fresh herbs, and coarse sea salt.
- High-hydration sticky dough handled without extra flour creates open crumb
- Olive oil pools in dimples, frying the surface for crisp edges
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Warm 220 ml water until just lukewarm, then dissolve 5 g dry yeast and 5 g sugar in it.
- 2 Mix 300 g bread flour and 6 g salt evenly in a bowl.
- 3 With the dough still sticky, fold it up and over itself with a hand or spatula for about 8 minutes.
Rosemary focaccia is an Italian olive-oil bread made from a high-hydration dough that is proofed twice, dimpled with fingertips, topped with rosemary, minced garlic, and flaky salt, and baked at 220 degrees Celsius. The wetter the dough, the better the signature open crumb and chewy interior develop, so resisting the urge to add extra flour during handling is important. A sixty-minute first proof followed by a thirty-minute second proof gives the yeast enough time to produce the gas that creates a light, airy structure. Generous olive oil pooled in the dimples essentially fries the surface during baking, creating crisp pockets across the top. Cooling for ten minutes after baking lets steam escape and sharpens the contrast between the crunchy crust and the moist, pillowy crumb inside.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Warm 220 ml water until just lukewarm, then dissolve 5 g dry yeast and 5 g sugar in it.
Let it stand for 5 minutes, and use it once small bubbles appear on the surface.
- 2Season
Mix 300 g bread flour and 6 g salt evenly in a bowl.
Add the yeast water and 1 tablespoon olive oil, then mix until no dry flour remains, keeping the dough sticky instead of adding extra flour.
- 3Control
With the dough still sticky, fold it up and over itself with a hand or spatula for about 8 minutes.
When the surface looks slightly smoother, cover it and proof in a warm spot for 60 minutes.
- 4Step
Coat the pan generously with olive oil and transfer the dough to it.
Stretch it gently toward the edges without tearing; if it resists, pause briefly, then continue and proof for another 30 minutes.
- 5Season
Oil your fingertips and press dimples almost to the bottom of the dough without punching through it.
Drizzle over the remaining oil, then scatter 8 g minced garlic, 1 tablespoon rosemary, and 0.5 teaspoon flaky salt evenly.
- 6Heat
Bake in a preheated 220C oven for 22 to 25 minutes.
Remove it when the edges and top are golden, cool for 10 minutes so steam can escape, then slice while the crust stays crisp.
After the steps
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