Focaccia bread is a quiet star of the bread basket, right at home alongside a crusty baguette, buttery brioche, or a warm, cheesy gougère. This ancient Italian flatbread dates back to Roman times, carried across regions by empire and tradition, and it remains beloved today for its tender crumb, olive-oil richness, and irresistible aroma.
The good news for home cooks is that focaccia is far less intimidating than it sounds. The only real requirement is time—specifically, time for proofing. While that word can feel daunting, the truth is that flour, water, and yeast do nearly all the work on their own. Once the dough comes together, patience takes over, and the transformation that happens while it rests is nothing short of magic. The payoff is a beautifully airy, golden loaf that’s more than worth the wait.
Enjoy focaccia on its own straight from the bread basket, or tear into it and dip generously in Italian Butter, hummus, or pesto. Slice it horizontally for hearty sandwiches layered with meats and cheeses, serve it alongside soups, or add it to an antipasto platter where it happily soaks up every flavor on the board.
Let’s Make Foccacia Bread
I find baking to be more like a chemistry experiment than any other form of cooking. It requires precise ingredient measurement for successful bakes. Using a weight scale instead of measuring by volume ensures the exact same ingredients every time that will produce a reliable result.
Whisk together the flour and salt in a very large bowl. Bloom the instant yeast in the lukewarm water, then add the water to the flour and salt mix. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky ball. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Wet your fingers, grab an edge of the dough and pull it up and towards the center. Repeat this stretching and folding, 8 or 9 times, turning the dough as you go. As you do this, you should feel the dough tighten to a smooth and cohesive ball.
Use your fingers to gently, but completely cover the surface of the dough with olive oil. This will prevent the formation of a hard skin on top while it is cold proofing. Cover the bowl with a lid or a damp kitchen towel and refrigerate for a minimum of 12-16 hours.
Generously butter a 9×12 x 2 inch metal pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the center of the pan. Deflate the dough by releasing it with fingers or forks and pulling toward the center. Rotate the bowl as you deflate, turning it into a rough ball. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over. Let it rest and warm up for 3 to 4 hours uncovered at room temp.
Preheat the oven to 425. Sprinkle the rosemary over the dough, then pour 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Lightly coat your fingers in the oil, then use your fingers to press straight down and create deep dimples. As you do this, gently stretch the dough to evenly fill the pan.
Generously sprinkle the dough with flaky sea salt, put the pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving while still warm. Let it cool completely if you are going to slice it in half to make sandwiches.
When it has completely cooled, store it in an airtight bag at room temperature. Reheat at 350 for 15 minutes for the best “leftovers”.
Foccacia Bread
An airy, delicious and beautiful golden loaf of Italian history
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10-20 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 500 grams – about 4 cups bread flour
- 15 grams – about 3 tsp un-iodized sea salt
- 2 cups lukewarm water for the yeast. Verify the temp for activating your yeast with an instant read thermometer
- 8 grams instant yeast. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and let it stand for 5–10 minutes or until it foams
- Unsalted butter
- 4 TBL olive oil – divided
- 1 large sprig whole rosemary leaves
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a very large bowl. Bloom the instant yeast in the lukewarm water, then add the water to the flour and salt mix. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky ball
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Wet your fingers, grab an edge of the dough and pull it up and towards the center. Repeat this stretching and folding, 8 or 9 times, turning the dough as you go. As you do this, you should feel the dough tighten to a smooth and cohesive ball
- Use your fingers to gently, but completely cover the surface of the dough with olive oil. This will prevent the formation of a hard skin on top while it is cold proofing. Cover the bowl with a lid or a damp kitchen towel and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours or up to two days
- Generously butter a 9×12×2 inch metal pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the center of the pan. Using forks or fingers, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl as you deflate, turning it into a rough ball. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over. Let the dough ball rest for 3 to 4 hours uncovered at room temp
- Preheat the oven to 425. Sprinkle the rosemary over the dough, then pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough
- Lightly coat your hands and fingers in the oil, then use your fingers to press straight down and create deep dimples. As you do this, gently stretch the dough to evenly fill the pan
- Generously sprinkle the dough with flaky sea salt, put the pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 27 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp. Remove it from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before cutting and serving while still warm. Let it cool completely if you are going to slice it in half to make sandwiches
- When it has completely cooled, store it in an airtight bag at room temperature. Reheat at 350 for 10-15 minutes