Rosemary Focaccia
Bread-making is cheap therapy. In case you need some. And who doesn’t these days? It brings you back to a simpler place. There’s a slowness and intentionality it requires. The whole process is a sensory experience — the feeling of the dough on your hands, the fragrance of the yeast, and then the aroma of the bread baking…and that first taste…well, it wins.
I’ve been tweaking and perfecting this recipe for the past three or four years. It’s now a thing. This focaccia is pillowy, full of flavor, and a crowd pleaser every single time. I’ve been crowned “the best cook” by some teenage boys because of this bread. And one friend feels he has certain rights to literally tear into it the moment he sets eyes on it. I take it as a compliment. But most people just behave, wait their turn, and enjoy seconds, thirds and fourths after it is cut into big, thick pieces.
This is one of those recipes I make often, even on a weekday. So, don’t be intimidated and wait for a holiday. Go bake some good bread today.
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Rosemary Focaccia
Recipe adapted by Stephanie Kunstle
(original recipe “Basic Focaccia Bread” by Florence Fabricant of NYT Cooking)
Notes: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. I rarely just make one recipe anymore. More is better. The leftovers make a great sandwich or just dip in good olive oil and balsamic for breakfast like my little redhead does. If you are at high altitude, see my adjustments on the yeast. I’m at about 7,200 feet in elevation, so adjust your yeast accordingly. And hey, please don’t go cutting this into thin slices. Serve your bread lavishly, as it was meant to be.
For a quick preview of what this process looks like or for a 60-second escape from your reality, see my reel on Instagram.
Ingredients:
1 pkg active dry yeast (2.25 tsp) OR I use 1.5 tsp at my altitude (7,200 ft elevation)
1/2 tsp sugar
1.5 cups warm water (if it feels just warm on your wrist but doesn’t burn, that’s what you’re looking for)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus 2 Tbsp or so for later)
1/2 Tbsp coarse salt (I use Morton’s Kosher Salt)
3 cups all-purpose flour (plus another cup on hand if you want it, see details under preparation)
A couple sprigs of rosemary
Flaky sea salt (I use Maldon)
Good extra virgin olive oil and balsamic for dipping
Tools:
Large baking sheet or baking stone
Method:
In a standing mixer bowl or large mixing bowl combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Give it a good whisking and pull out your other ingredients.
Add the olive oil, coarse salt and whisk again. Now add your flour (see *** in step #4).
If you’re using the standing mixer, use your dough hook attachment and begin mixing on low. Let it mix for about 10 minutes while you put your ingredients away and do some clean up. You want the dough silky and smooth. If you’re mixing by hand, it’s another opportunity to be buff — strong arms are a good thing. Natalie Portman, we are with you. Mix with clean hands (actually, you’ll want to hold your bowl still with one hand and go after it with the other). You’re going for the same silky and smooth texture, and this will take a bit longer if you’re kneading by hand.
***Here’s the thing, this is not going to be dough that ends up in a tight ball. It’s a very hydrated dough, which means it comes out soooo soft and delicious BUT it will be sticky and harder to work with at this point. Don’t freak out. You own the dough, the dough does not own you. But if this is your first rodeo, you are welcome to add up to one more cup of flour to create a more manageable dough. It’s just going to be more dense when baked.
Oil a large bowl with another tablespoon or so of olive oil. Scrape the dough into this bowl and pull up each side the dough to the center, then turn the whole thing over. Now you have a smooth and beautiful dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for an hour or until doubled or so. (I like to put mine in a second oven with the oven light on to provide a teeny bit of heat. Under cabinet lighting will do the same thing. The yeast loves that environment and will start munching away, creating lots of air — did I mention pillowy?). But if you’re one of those people who takes pride in keeping your house temperature in the 60s (F), now the joke is on you — it will take the dough longer to rise. Plan accordingly.
About 30 minutes before your dough is done rising, preheat your oven to 500F. Oil a large baking sheet generously.
After your dough has risen, oil your hands and GENTLY scrape your dough onto your oiled pan, keeping the top of the dough facing up. You are preserving precious air so be delicate about this. Think of it as breakable. Because the dough is so hydrated, it is easily injured which just means it will still be delicious, but not as pretty as it could be if it gets overstretched or smashed a bit. Now that you’re handling this living thing with “kid gloves,” gently tuck the edges under to create a nice oval or rectangle shape.
Drizzle another tablespoon or so of olive oil over the top of the dough, then use your fingers to poke dimples into the dough. Rub some sprigs of rosemary with olive oil and place around the dough. Sometimes I arrange large sprigs in the center or sometimes I pick smaller bunches of leaves and scatter them around. Up to you!
Sprinkle the dough generously with flaky sea salt and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. If you gently knock on the bread, it will sound hollow when it’s baked.
Remove from the oven, and with the help of a soft spatula, slide it off the baking sheet and let it cool on a rack. If you’re serving right away, slide it onto a large wooden cutting board — the board won’t sweat but will keep it warm for a few extra minutes. Serve by cutting into big squares or rectangles, or just make sure people have clean hands and have fun tearing off pieces.
Store leftovers in an airtight bag. The bread is super yummy for a couple more days, as all good bread is. After that, make some Panzanella with it.