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This Italian Focaccia Recipe makes a soft tender Italian bread full of olive oil, herbs, and kalamata olives with a sprinkling of sea salt. The most addictive bread recipe I have ever made. Don’t get me wrong, I love all homemade bread, but focaccia is hands down my favorite. Dip in oil, top with tomatoes, soak up pasta juice, make a sandwich or a pizza. Any way you decide to enjoy it, I know it will be amazingly delicious!!
What is Focaccia Bread?
Italian origin bread recipe that is crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Similar to pizza dough, focaccia is a yeast bread that is baked flat on a sheet pan and flavored with olive oil.
Tips for Making Italian Focaccia Recipe
- Make sure to use warm water at 110 F, nothing hotter or it will kill the yeast.
- Yeast loves sugar, so I use honey for this recipe.
- Once the yeast mixture is frothy, work in your flour. Knead the dough with hands or dough hook on mixer until it resembles a soft slightly sticky dough. Also try a windowpane test.
- Place dough ball onto counter top or working station with a very small amount of oil. The surface should still have some dry spots to “grip” the dough. Cup the dough with your hands and roll it in a tight circle to smooth the shape.
- Place dough ball into a lightly oiled large bowl with a Tbsp of Olive Oil at the bottom.
- Then cover bowl and let rise in a warm, draft free location for 1-2 hrs. I prefer to place my bread in a cold oven with the light on for proving.
- Once dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and place on rimmed baking sheet. (baking sheet can either be sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with parchment paper.)
- Stretch the dough with your hands into a long rectangle across the baking tray. About 1-1.5 inches thick.
- Then, take your fingers and press down into the dough, creating small dimples or wells across the surface. I press completely down, but not so hard to tear a hole.
- Place olives evenly across dough into some of the wells.
- Drizzle entire surface of dough with olive oil. Then scatter on sage and rosemary to stick to the oil.
- Finally sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Let dough rest for 20-30 minutes for a final puff before baking.
Italian Focaccia Recipe
Italian Focaccia Recipe for homemade focaccia bread with rosemary, sage, olives, and sea salt. A delicious rosemary focaccia bread with olives.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Bread
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 loaf
Author: Jenn
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- 2.5 tsp Active Dry Yeast
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Cup (250 ml) Warm Water
- 2 Cups (256 grams) All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup (128 grams) Bread Flour
- ¼ Cup (62.5 ml) Olive Oil
Toppings
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil drizzling and coating bowl
- 1 Cup Kalamata Olives
- 3 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary
- 3 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Sage
- Sea Salt for sprinkling
Instructions
In bowl of stand mixer gently stir together yeast, honey, and warm water (110 F). (I use a hand whisk) Let yeast mixture sit for 10-15 minutes until frothy.
Meanwhile in a separate bowl sift and whisk together both flours.
Once the yeast mixture is frothy, fit mixer with dough hook, pour in olive oil and slowly spoon in flour on medium low speed. When all flour is incorporated turn up to medium and work until it resembles a soft slightly sticky dough. Also try a windowpane test.
Place dough ball onto counter top or working station with a very small amount of oil. The surface should still have some dry spots to “grip” the dough. Cup the dough with your hands and roll it in a tight circle to smooth the shape.
Place dough ball into a lightly oiled large bowl with a Tbsp of Olive Oil at the bottom.
Then cover bowl with plastic and let rise in a warm, draft free location for 1-2 hrs.
Once dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and place on rimmed baking sheet. (baking sheet can either be sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with parchment paper.)
Stretch the dough with your hands into a long rectangle across the baking tray.
Then take your fingers and press down into the dough, creating small dimples or wells across the surface. (don't tear holes)
Place olives evenly across dough into some of the wells.
Drizzle entire surface of dough with olive oil. Then scatter on sage and rosemary to stick to the oil.
Finally sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Let dough rest for 20-30 minutes for a final puff before baking.
Preheat Oven to 400 F while dough is resting.
Bake for 15-18 minutes until slightly golden around edges.
Once baked, let pan cool on rack. Remove bread and slice, serving with additional dipping oil.
Wrap bread in aluminum foil or place in air tight container for up to a week of freshness.
did you make this recipe?Mention @twocupsflour or tag #twocupsflour!
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