Homemade Focaccia Recipe
When you’re locked inside a house with nothing to do, make focaccia.
I’m pretty sure Jane Austen was the first to say that. Even if she wasn’t, it’s damn good advice.
And it’s advice worth taking in these times of quarantine, when we’re all staying inside and social distancing. I’ve been on lockdown for two weeks now, and my baking game has improved like you wouldn’t believe!
I’ve been dusting off old recipes for cookies and pancakes, and learning new tricks and tips along the way. On one foray into my pantry, I came across a bottle of my favourite Spanish olive oil.
It was an absolutely divine arbequina from Cordoba. Normally I’d add it to my rotating list of oils I use for drizzling, dressing, and dining. But not this time.
This time, I thought, why not try something different? I’d never baked with olive oil before, but I’ve wanted to for years. And in these times of quarantine, I was willing to give anything a go!
And so I came to this focaccia recipe.
What the Focaccia?!
Focaccia is what bread wants to be when it grows up.
Soft and fluffy, yet chewy and crisp at the same time. Easy to make, and as delicious by itself as it is when served along with soups, stews, and grilled veggies. I can already tell that this focaccia recipe is something I’m going to be coming back to again and again!
I top my focaccia with a few simple ingredients. Flaky sea salt, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil; these are all you need to have a good time!
In only a few short steps you can have a delicious homemade bread. While you will need to work with yeast, don’t worry! If you’re new to using yeast in baking then this simple recipe is the perfect place to start.
Focaccia Bread Ingredients
Here’s the lowdown on what you need to make a classic focaccia bread:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This is the secret to good focaccia. Real EVOO is essential to the flavour of the bread, and also its texture. I’m partial to Andalusian olive oil, but any good EVOO will do!
- Yeast, Warm Water, and Honey: Since we’re working with dry yeast, we need to first dissolve it in warm water and then activate with sugar (in this case, honey).
- Flour: Plain white flour is all you need for this focaccia recipe.
- Cherry Tomatoes, Rosemary, Garlic, Sea Salt: This is where the more-ish flavour of the bread comes from. In a classic focaccia, rosemary and sea salt are the main toppings, but I like to add tomato and garlic (to everything).
How to make this Focaccia recipe
You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make this focaccia recipe. Apart from the time needed to prove the dough, it’s also super quick to make. You can find the full instructions laid out at the bottom of the post.
- Activate the yeast: Mix the dry yeast with warm water and honey. This will wake it up from its coma and get it ready to rise the bread!
- Make the dough: Add the flour, olive oil, and salt to the yeast and use your hands to form it into a dough. Knead it for 5 minutes until stretchy (the dough, not you).
- First proof: Roll the dough into a ball and place in a greased mixing bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for an hour. It should double in size in the meantime.
- Second proof: Punch down the dough and shape into a rectangle to fill a lined medium-sized baking tray at a 1/2-inch thickness. Use your middle finger to create a series of dimples across the surface of the dough, about 2/3 as deep as the dough. Drizzle with olive oil and spread with your fingers, ensuring the whole surface is covered. Cover with a damp cloth and leave for a further 30 mins.
- Bake: Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Uncover the dough, add tomatoes, and sprinkle with rosemary, more olive oil, sliced garlic, and sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve (with more olive oil; live a little).
Customise your focaccia recipe
Once you’ve mastered the garlic and rosemary focaccia, why not try some variations? Try it with:
- Cheese: Add parmesan or Pecorino Romano to give your focaccia bread some serious umami!
- Pesto: Brush your focaccia with pesto before baking to seriously up the flavour of your bread.
- Marinara sauce: Similarly, turn your focaccia into a pizza sensation by adding a sweet tomato sauce before baking!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Passive Time | 90 minutes |
| Servings | servings |
- 1 packet dry yeast (about 7 grams)
- 1 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3 1/2 cups plain flour
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil plus extra for serving
- 3 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 2 springs fresh rosemary
- 8-12 cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
Ingredients
| |
- Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl and add the honey. Sprinkle the dry yeast on top and stir to combine. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy and active.
- Add the flour, 2 teaspoons of sea salt, and half the olive oil to the bowl. Use your hands to mix into a dough (add a bit more flour if the dough seems too sticky). Knead for 5 minutes until stretchy.
- Form the dough into a ball and place in a separate large greased mixing bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 1 hour to prove. It should double in size in this time.
- Punch down the dough. Line a medium-sized baking tray with parchment paper and stretch the dough into a rectangle covering the parchment at 1/2-inch thickness. Use your middle finger to create a series of dimples across the surface of the dough, about 2/3 as deep as the dough. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and spread with your fingers, ensuring the whole surface is covered. Cover with a damp cloth and leave for a further 30 mins.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Uncover the dough, add tomatoes (cut side down), and sprinkle with rosemary, sliced garlic, and remaining sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve immediately, with more olive oil!
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