Frequently asked questions
If a focaccia recipe is not formulated correctly, it can come out very dense, with little or no holes in the crumb, thin or dry, or fluffy and soft like a roll. As two cookbook authors, we’ve perfected this focaccia bread recipe so that it:
Is very thick and crisp on the outside, perfect for eating plain or slicing in half as sandwiches. Has a beautiful airy crumb, which comes from an overnight rise. Has a developed, well-seasoned flavor that tastes like it’s from an Italian bakery!
To make this focaccia recipe, it takes 5 minutes the night before, then about 2 hours the day of. It is one of the easiest bread recipes we have, but you do need to think ahead! We like to make the dough at around 9:00 pm the night before, then bake it around 1:00 pm the next day. Here’s an outline on the steps required:
Bread flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which makes for a lighter, airier texture. It’s worth finding for this recipe! Active dry yeast: Use active dry yeast, not instant. You can store it in the freezer between uses. Olive oil and salt: These ingredients round out the bread dough. Fresh rosemary: Fresh rosemary is traditional in Italian baking of focaccia and it adds just the right herbaceous scent to the fresh bread. Trust us: it’s required!
Remember to start the night before! That’s right: you’ll need an overnight rise. Think about mixing up the dough around 9 pm, and you can bake the bread around 1:00 pm the next day. 16 hours is best if you can swing it. Be gentle when shaping and handling the dough. A great part about homemade focaccia bread is that it doesn’t require any rolling or technical shaping. All you do is gently press it out into the pan. Just use care so you don’t deflate any air bubbles. Use a pizza stone if you can. Again, a pizza stone lets the bread get hotter, thereby making it rise faster and get taller and fluffier. If you don’t have one, here’s the pizza stone we use.
As a side for Italian meals As a side for soup Sliced on a cheese board or antipasto platter As an Italian appetizer Sliced for a sandwich like Caprese Sandwich, Italian Eggplant Sandwich or Salmon Sandwich For holiday appetizers or sides like Thanksgiving or Christmas
This No Knead Bread is a fan favorite, or try delicious and hearty Artisan Bread. This leaf-shaped Fougasse Bread is a traditional French flatbread that’s so simple and delicious. Go for sandwich loaves with Easy Homemade Bread or Easy Whole Wheat Bread. Try our Sourdough Bread Recipe.
4.3 from 4 reviews
630 grams (4 ½ cups) bread flour 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast 2 teaspoons kosher salt 532 ml (2 ¼ cups) warm water 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
For the brine
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For topping
Leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs
