Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia

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My husband is a huge Italian food fan.  He would literally eat Italian, especially pasta, every day of the week and be completely happy!  I like Italian food also, but I am definitely not in the same league! However, I must admit to loving Italian focaccia bread.

Focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread, which is usually topped with herbs or other ingredients. It is popular in Italy and is usually seasoned with olive oil and salt.

I often purchased the version that is available at our local supermarket, it is good but not the artisan loaf I have craved! I have scoured some local bakeries for a nice loaf of focaccia but have been unsuccessful.

So…what’s a girl to do, I decided to try making a loaf!  I did a little research and discovered that focaccia is often created by using a pizza dough recipe. The main difference between dough for pizza and a thick, beautiful loaf of focaccia is actually the several risings!

FocacciaI used my old standby pizza dough recipe and the resulting focaccia was beautifully light and delicious!  It was especially good cut into large wedges and dipped in some nice olive oil and balsamic vinegar…YUM!

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Give it a try, it is not difficult at all.  The risings take a little time, but no effort and the resulting bread is well worth any time you have invested!

5.0 from 3 reviews
Focaccia
 
Recipe type: Bread
Ingredients
  • 3½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1¼ cups warm water {110 – 115 degrees F}
  • 4½ teaspoons dry yeast
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1½ tablespoons of liquid honey
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • Toppings - chopped fresh rosemary and sea salt
Instructions
  1. Warm the bowl of stand mixer and attach dough hook.
  2. To bowl add water, olive oil, honey and yeast.
  3. When the yeast has completely dissolved and the mixture is frothy add your flour and then your salt. Mix on med-low until combined and knead on medium for 10 minutes until smooth in appearance. (It may be necessary to add up to an additional ¼ cup flour to keep dough from sticking)
  4. **Alternately, you may also mix ingredients by hand until well combined, and then knead dough on lightly floured surface by hand for 10 min.**
  5. Remove from bowl and shape into a smooth ball. Place dough into well oiled bowl (I use the same bowl) , cover with a tea towel and place in draft free place to rise for 50 - 60 minutes or until doubled in size.
  6. Punch down dough and cut in half.
  7. Put dough on a floured counter and shape each half into a ball.
  8. Roll each ball into an 8" or 9" disc (depending on your pan size) and place each disc into an 8" or 9" buttered, round cake tin.
  9. Cover each tin and let rise 30 minutes.
  10. At the end of 30 minutes, remove cover and using your finger tips, make dimples all over the surface of the dough.
  11. Pour an additional 3 - 4 Tbsp. olive oil over dough and add a generous sprinkling of fresh rosemary and sea salt.
  12. Cover again and let rise another 30 minutes.
  13. Spritz dough with water and bake in a preheated 400 degree F. oven for 20 - 35 minutes.
  14. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
  15. Eat same day or freeze.
  16. Makes 2 loaves

 

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to ask and I will do my best to answer them.

 

Comments

  1. Oh, this has to be on the top of my “must try” and definitely on my “bread love” list.
    I fell in love with focaccia several years ago, but have never even thought of making it myself…… now you have inspired me!!

  2. humm look so yummy, i will try!

  3. nicolthepickle says:

    This is beautiful!
    When I make focaccia I almost always use a Rosemary and seal salt combination.
    Craving this now!

  4. Misha Estrada says:

    This looks so good. I will have to try to make a gluten-free version and see how it comes out :)

  5. Hi! I just wanted to let you know that your recipe was featured this week in What’s Cooking Wednesday! It looks delicious and I would love to have you link up another recipe! http://www.turningclockback.com/2013/09/whats-cooking-wednesday-recipe-linky-34.html

  6. Francesca says:

    Do you have a version that uses instant yeast instead?

    • I don’t Francesca, I am really not familiar with the instant yeast at all so not sure if it could be substituted. However, you did get me curious and I found these sites that say it is possible. Hope you can give the recipe a try, it really is delicious. If you do decide to make it using the instant yeast, let me know how it turns out. Good luck Francesca!
      http://www.ehow.com/how_5806749_substitute-instant-dry-yeast.html
      http://www.thefreshloaf.com/faqs/baking/yeast

  7. Have the Focaccia bread in the oven now….Can’t wait to try it.

  8. everythingofcooking says:

    I love Italian dishes for their simplicity. I’m glad i found this one! Thank you.

  9. sarah jackson says:

    oh I LOVE bread ! I have been wanting to make Focaccia for a while and I think you just inspired me to actually do it ..only problem will be me eating the whole loaf !

  10. looks delicious

  11. Sonia Iversen says:

    Baked this delicious bread twice already, and it’s so easy! It’s now my husband favorite bread! I played around with it a bit and added lemon zest, chopped oregano and red pepper flakes along with the rosemary and sea salt to the top of it! SO YUMMY!!! Thank you, for your wonderful recipe!

    • So glad you like it Sonia! The addition of lemon zest, oregano and red pepper flakes sounds so good! The next time I make it I am going to give your additions a try, thanks so much!

  12. Reem Ahmed says:

    Getting some ingredients and doing it. <3

Trackbacks

  1. […] This bread is perfect sliced into big wedges and dipped in extra virgin olive oil and a nice balsamic vinegar…YUM!! (RECIPE) […]

  2. What's Cooking Wednesday Recipe Linky - Turning the Clock Back says:

    […] Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia from Older Mommy Still Yummy […]

  3. […] #8 Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia […]

  4. […] couple of weeks ago I was craving Focaccia Bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip it in. I knew I had all the ingredients on hand so I […]

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