Baking / Loaves & yeast breads
Olive Oil Focaccia with Rosemary
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Press your fingertips deep into the dough and let the olive oil pool in every dimple. Bake it until the bottom fries crisp in the pan, and tear off a corner while it's still too hot to hold.
The short version
Stir a wet dough, let it double for 1½ to 2 hours, fold it, and settle it into an oiled 9x13-inch pan. After a second rise, dimple, oil, salt and bake at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Use a wet dough. A dough this wet needs no kneading, and it traps big bubbles that make an open, airy crumb.
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Oil the pan generously. Three tablespoons under the dough fry the bottom crust while it bakes. It is why focaccia is crisp underneath and tender above.
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Dimple deep and pool oil in the holes. Pressing all the way down keeps the dough from puffing like a loaf, and the pooled oil and salt in each dent make the best bites.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- All-purpose flour4 cups
- Instant yeast2 teaspoons
- Extra-virgin olive oil6 tablespoons
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Mix the dough
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, fine salt and yeast. Add the water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Stir with a spatula until there is no dry flour and the dough is wet and shaggy. Scrape down the sides.
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First rise
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled and bubbly, 1½ to 2 hours.
About 105 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Fold the dough
Oil your hands. Pull one edge of the dough up and over to the center, turn the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat until you have folded all around, about 6 times. The dough will tighten into a ball.
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Oil the pan and second rise
Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil into a 9×13-inch metal or ceramic baking dish and spread it over the bottom and sides. Turn the dough into the pan and gently stretch it toward the corners, letting it rest if it springs back. Cover and let it rise until puffy and jiggly, 45 to 90 minutes.
If the dough won't reach the corners, rest it for 10 minutes and try again.
About 60 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Heat the oven
About 20 minutes before the end of the rise, set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 425°F.
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Dimple and top
Drizzle the last tablespoon of olive oil over the dough. With oiled fingertips, press straight down to the bottom of the pan all over the dough, making deep dimples. Sprinkle with the flaky salt and the rosemary.
Press all the way down. Shallow dimples disappear in the oven.
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Bake
Bake until deeply golden brown and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. The center should read at least 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
About 28 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cool briefly
Let the focaccia sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then slide it onto a rack with a spatula. The bottom should be crisp and brown. Cut into squares and serve warm.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- For more flavor, rise the dough in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours after mixing. Let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes before folding it and moving it to the pan.
- Fresh herbs, thinly sliced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, olives and sliced garlic all work as toppings. Press them into the dimples before baking.
- Pizza dough works too. Follow overnight pizza dough through the rise, then press it into the oiled pan and continue from the second rise.
- Storage. Wrap well and keep at room temperature for 2 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Warm slices in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes to bring back the crisp bottom.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Why is my focaccia dense?
The dough probably didn't rise long enough, or it was too dry. Let it double in the bowl and get puffy in the pan, and keep the dough wet and sticky rather than adding more flour.
Can I make focaccia the day before?
Yes. Do the first rise in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. Then bring it to room temperature, fold it, pan it, and finish as written.
Do I need to use that much olive oil?
The oil is what fries the bottom and keeps the crumb tender. You can use less, but the crust won't be as crisp or as rich.
Can I use bread flour?
Yes. It gives a chewier focaccia and may take a little more water. All-purpose gives a softer, more tender crumb.
What size pan should I use?
A 9×13-inch pan gives a focaccia about 1 inch thick. A half sheet pan gives a thinner, crisper one that bakes about 5 minutes faster.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 29, 2026.