This classic Italian focaccia is easy to prepare and makes for a great snack or bread for prosciutto or mortadella sandwiches.
Cuisine Italian
Keyword bread
Prep Time 1 hourhour45 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Servings 8people
Ingredients
½cupolive oil
4garlic cloves, smashed
2-3sprigsfresh rosemaryor 1 tablespoon dried
4-6sprigsfresh timeor 1 tablespoon dried
¼tspfreshly ground black pepper
235mlwarm water
2¼tspinstant yeast
¼tsphoney
315gramsall-purpose flour
½tspfine sea salt
1tbspfreshly chopped rosemaryto sprinkle on top
1tspcoarse saltto sprinkle on top
Instructions
Infuse the Olive Oil
Combine olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and the black pepper in a skillet. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes but before the garlic browns.
Remove garlic cloves, and sprigs of rosemary and thyme (if using fresh herbs). Set infused oil aside.
Assemble the dough
In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir a few times until honey is dissolved.
Add about half of the flour and a 1/4 cup (i.e., half) of the infused olive oil mixture to the bowl with yeast, water, and honey. Incorporate the flour and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining flour and the salt until combined. Transfer the dough to a floured board and knead until smooth (a few minutes).
Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, turning the dough over to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rise for 1 hour in a proofing box or warm area of the kitchen.
Bake the Focaccia
About the time the dough is finished rising, preheat the oven to 450F / 230C.
Use two tablespoons of the remaining infused olive oil to oil a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. (See note if you do not have a baking sheet this size).
Transfer the dough to the baking pan and press it down. Use your fingers to dimple the dough then drizzle the top with the remaining infused oil. Top with chopped rosemary and coarse salt.
Let the dough rise for 20 minutes until it puffs slightly.
Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool baked focaccia on a wire rack.
Notes
This recipe calls for a 9 x 13” rimmed baking sheet, but a 9 x 13” rimmed baking dish with taller sides will also work.This recipe was adapted from InspiredTaste.com; we found that infusing the oil with whole sprigs of rosemary and smashed garlic (rather than minced) was both easier and avoided burning the bits of garlic on the top of the focaccia while it bakes.