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Walking into a kitchen filled with the scent of bubbling focaccia takes me right back to wandering through small towns in Italy. This simple bread, known for its poked surface and bronze exterior, has become what I always make when family comes over or friends drop by—it never sticks around long after it's done baking.
I've tried making this bread dozens of times, and I've found letting the dough rise slowly creates those wonderful bubbles that focaccia is known for. These days my neighbors can tell when it's baking day—they follow their noses straight to my door.
Key Ingredients Breakdown
- Bread Flour: Go for the unbleached stuff to get that nice chewy bite. The extra protein helps you get all those lovely air bubbles
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Don't cheap out here—this is where your bread gets most of its flavor
- Active Dry Yeast: Keep it in the fridge in something airtight so it stays fresh for your next baking day
- Sea Salt: The chunky kind adds amazing taste and that little bit of crunch on top
- Fresh Rosemary: Look for bright, strongly scented branches without any dull spots
How To Make It Step By Step
- Step 4: Baking Till Golden (45 minutes):
- Pay attention as those dimples slowly fill back out during the final rise. Pour olive oil generously into each little dip. Throw salt from up high so it lands evenly. Bake until everything turns the color of sunshine.
- Step 3: Stretching and Poking (15 minutes):
- Cover your pan with enough oil to make it shine. Pull the dough gently like you're stretching out a sheet, giving it time between tugs. Make deep finger holes that almost touch the pan. Let the dough puff back up a bit between pokes.
- Step 2: First Big Rise (1-2 hours):
- Put plenty of oil in your bowl—it'll soak into the dough as it grows. Use a wet cloth instead of plastic to cover it. Stick it in your oven with just the light turned on for perfect warmth. The dough's ready when it's doubled and full of tiny bubbles.
- Step 1: Making Your Dough (25 minutes):
- First, get your yeast going in water that's warm but not hot. In another bowl, mix your flour and salt, then make a hole in the middle. Add the oil first, then pour in your yeast mix, stirring slowly to avoid flour everywhere. Keep kneading until the dough feels as soft as your earlobe.
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When I was little, my nonna always said good focaccia should have "golden valleys"—those dips filled with olive oil that make every bite amazing.
Flavor Combinations
Adding fresh herbs, halved cherry tomatoes, and some olives can turn this bread into something you can eat on its own. In the warmer months, I can't get enough of thin slices of lemon paired with fresh rosemary.
Prep Ahead Options
You can let your dough sit in the fridge overnight and it'll develop an even deeper flavor profile. Just remember to warm it up to room temperature before you shape it.
Ways To Enjoy It
Don't bother with a knife—just rip pieces off with your hands. The uneven chunks are perfect for dunking in quality olive oil or soaking up whatever sauce is on your plate.
Keeping It Fresh
If you've got leftovers, wrap them in a clean cotton towel first, then put that inside a paper bag. This trick keeps the outside crispy while the inside stays nice and tender.
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Through my years of making focaccia, I've found that taking your time really does matter. This might look like a basic recipe, but it's all the small things—how you add the oil, the way you make those finger marks—that turn basic stuff into something amazing. Every time I bake a batch, I'm reminded why people have loved this simple bread for hundreds of years.
Common Questions
- → Can I swap bread flour for all-purpose flour?
- All-purpose flour works just fine, though bread flour makes it a bit chewier.
- → When has my dough risen enough?
- Look for the dough to grow twice as big during its first rise, usually taking 1-2 hours in a warm area.
- → What other toppings can I use?
- Feel free to try small tomatoes, olives, or sweet cooked onions along with or instead of rosemary.
- → What's the point of making dimples?
- Those little indents give focaccia its unique look and let oil gather in tiny pools across the top.
- → How do I keep leftover bread fresh?
- Pop it in a sealed container at room temp for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to a month.