MAKING YOUR OWN FOCACCIA IS WAY EASIER THAN YOU'D THINK
Is there anything more delicious or addicting than warm, freshly baked focaccia? If you answered no, you came to the right place.
Our version is totally classic, topped with fresh rosemary leaves and crunchy sea salt. It’s got a crisp outside and soft, fluffy inside. Learn how to conquer this Italian classic with a few easy-to-follow tips.
Dealing with dough
If you're new to making dough from scratch, this is a great place to start. First things first, bloom your yeast: dissolve a bit of sugar into lukewarm water, then stir in your yeast. In about 5 minutes, it’ll transform from dry granules to foamy and bubbling. Mix the rest of the dough ingredients together, then pour in your activated yeast and water and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Then, gather it together and knead for 5 minutes. Unlike most recipes, you're not adding any flour as you go. When it comes to this dough, sticky = good. Another bonus? This dough only requires one rise, while most require two!
Go crazy with the olive oil
Olive oil is focaccia’s best friend. There’s olive oil in the dough itself, coating the dough as it rises, greasing the pan, and finally, drizzled on top. Be sure to use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil, since it’s providing so much of the flavour here. And don’t be stingy! As the focaccia bakes, the oil is absorbed and helps form that delicious, crunchy crust.
Poke it!
The best part about making focaccia is stretching it. To get the dough to the edges of your pan, you’re going to be poking it all over. Those dimples are signature to focaccia, so really get in there! Those nooks and crannies provide great texture (and they're also great for, you guessed it, catching olive oil).
Topping your focaccia
Focaccia is a blank canvas for delicious toppings, so feel free to experiment and get creative. This classic recipe’s got fresh rosemary leaves, which get crisp in the oven, and crunchy sea salt. But you could add sesame seeds, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, spice mixes like za’atar, even caramelised onions or roasted red peppers. Just be sure to pre-cook any raw veg, if using. You don’t want moisture to ruin your perfect crust!
Yields: 20 servings
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 1 hour 40 mins
Ingredients
- 300 mL
water
- 1 tsp.
granulated sugar
- 1
packet (2¼ tsp.) active dry yeast
- 400 g
plain flour, plus more as needed
- 2 tsp.
salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp.
fresh rosemary leaves
Flaky sea salt
Directions
- In small, microwave-safe bowl, add water. Microwave until lukewarm, 40 seconds. Add sugar and stir to dissolve, then sprinkle over yeast and let sit until frothy, about 8 minutes.
- Grease a large bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil. In another large bowl, add flour, salt, and 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Pour in yeast mixture, then mix with a wooden spoon until everything is combined. Knead against the side of the bowl until dough begins to come together, then transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead 5 minutes more until elastic and sticky. Then, transfer to greased bowl and toss to coat dough in oil. Cover with cling film and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Toward the end of the rise, preheat oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan). Grease a 22 x 33cm (9”-x-13”) baking tray with 1 more tablespoon olive oil. Lightly punch down dough, then add to baking tray. Press with your fingers to stretch dough to the edges of the tray, making indentations all over as you go. Drizzle top with 2 more tablespoons olive oil and brush to coat, then sprinkle all over with rosemary and flaky salt.
- Bake until focaccia is puffy and golden, about 25 minutes.