How To Make Focaccia

Recipe View In a mixing bowl, whisk the yeast with warm water. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, semolina flour, and 2 teaspoons of rosemary. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of bread flour, using a wooden spoon, until the dough becomes too stiff and sticky to mix. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, dusting with the remaining 1/4 cup of bread flour as needed, until the dough is soft, smooth, and slightly elastic. (2-3 minutes)

Recipe View Drizzle the dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, spreading it over the surface. Knead briefly to incorporate the oil. Repeat with 1 more tablespoon of oil. Knead for 2-3 more minutes to incorporate the olive oil. Drizzle the dough with the last tablespoon of oil and knead as before. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in a little more flour. Knead until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. (7-8 minutes total kneading time)

Recipe View Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a large bowl, place the dough into the bowl, and turn it several times to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size. (1-2 hours)

Recipe View Lightly coat a sheet pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Turn the dough into the pan and gently press it into a rough rectangular shape using your fingers, pressing out any air bubbles. Cover the sheet pan loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest to relax the gluten. (15-20 minutes)

Recipe View Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto the dough, spread the oil evenly, and use 3 or 4 oil-covered fingers to poke deeply into the dough, creating dimples all over the surface. Poke holes all the way down to the bottom of the pan, filling in any spaces until the entire surface is covered with dimples. Let it rise until nearly doubled. (45 minutes)

Recipe View Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).

Recipe View Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of minced rosemary over the top of the dough. Drizzle 1 more tablespoon of olive oil onto the surface of the dough and brush it on very lightly to avoid moving the rosemary. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven until the focaccia loaf is lightly golden brown. (15 minutes). Brush the last tablespoon of olive oil onto the loaf. Transfer to a rack and let cool before cutting.