Olive Oil Focaccia with Rosemary & Sea Salt
A forgiving, deeply satisfying bread for the first-time baker — pillowy, golden and drenched in good oil.
If you have never baked bread, focaccia is where you begin. It is forgiving where other breads are not — the generous oil hides a multitude of sins — and it teaches you the feel of dough, which is the only real skill in baking.
A stand mixer helps but is not essential. Your hands will do.
Ingredients
- 500g strong white bread flour
- 7g instant yeast
- 10g fine sea salt
- 400ml warm water
- 4 tbsp good extra-virgin olive oil, plus plenty more for the tin
- 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped
- Flaky sea salt
Method
- 1
Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then mix to a very wet, shaggy dough — wetter than feels sensible. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
- 2
Knead in the bowl for 5 minutes, pulling the dough up and over itself with wet hands, until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover and leave somewhere warm for about an hour, until doubled in size.
- 3
Generously oil a deep roasting tin (roughly 30×20cm) with olive oil — do not be timid. Tip in the dough and coax it toward the corners with oiled fingers. Cover and rest for 40 minutes.
- 4
Dimple the surface deeply with your fingertips, drizzle generously with more olive oil, scatter over the rosemary and finish with flaky salt. Bake at 220°C (200°C fan) for 25–30 minutes until deep gold on top and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- 5
Brush with a little more olive oil as it comes out of the oven. Eat warm, torn in pieces, ideally with good company and something to pour.
The dough should be wet and reluctant — that moisture is what makes focaccia so tender. Resist the urge to add more flour; oil your hands and your patience will be rewarded.
Delivered to Your Inbox
Join over 6 discerning readers.
Receive our latest features, editorial highlights, and new issue notifications — thoughtfully curated, never overwhelming.