Rosemary focaccia

Rosemary focaccia is an Italian bread made using a generous quantity of extra virgin olive oil and topped with sprigs of fresh rosemary and sea salt. Similar to no knead olive bread and rosemary and olive tear and share bread focaccia is delicious served with a variety of pasta dishes, soups or salads.

If you are feeling creative you may like to design a focaccia garden to decorate your homemade bread. Or you could make a batch of individual focaccia rolls which are perfect for freezing ready to serve alongside pasta dishes.

The quantities in this rosemary focaccia recipe are sufficient for around eight servings as an accompaniment to a main meal.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 500g bread flour - with a protein content of around 12% to 14%
• 2.5 teaspoons easy bake yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - use extra virgin olive oil for maximum flavour
• 350ml to 370ml water - hand hot

To oil the baking tin

• About 2 tablespoons olive oil

To top the unbaked focaccia

• A few sprigs of rosemary - use fresh rosemary rather than dried for maximum flavour
• 1 - 1.5 tablespoons olive oil - to drizzle over the top of the unbaked dough
• 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes - to sprinkle on the top of the bread

Equipment

In addition to common kitchen equipment you will also need a non stick baking tin which measures somewhere between 20cm by 30cm and 25cm by 15cm.

An electric mixer with dough hooks but if you don't have one or don't wish to use one then the dough can be kneaded by hand.

How to prepare the focaccia dough

Place the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and mix.

Heat the water to hand hot and start by adding 350ml to the bowl with the other ingredients. The water will be at the correct temperature when it is roughly the temperature of a hot bath. This will be warm enough to activate the yeast but not too hot to kill it.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Mix with an electric mixer with dough hooks attached for around 3 to 4 minutes. The dough should be quite wet at this stage, if it isn't then add a little more water. If you don't have an electric mixer or don't wish to use one you can knead the dough by hand for around 10 minutes.

Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place to prove for around an hour or until it has doubled in size.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured board and fold over 3 to 4 times.

Oil the baking tin with a generous amount of olive oil. Place the dough in the tin and stretch it to fit. Leave to prove in a warm place, for about 30 minutes to 1 hour by which time the dough should have risen slightly.

Make dimples in the top of the dough taking care not to press the whole way through to the bottom. The dough will be sticky so dip your finger in olive oil first so that it doesn't stick to the dough. Place a small piece of rosemary into each of the dimples and drizzle 1 to 1.5 tablespoons olive oil over the top of the dough allowing it to settle into the dimples. Sprinkle flakes of sea salt over the top of the dough. The dough will look very oily but don't worry, this is how it should be.

How to bake the focaccia

Preheat the oven to 200^oC, 400^oF, gas mark 6.

Bake in the centre of the oven for around 20 minutes or until it is golden on top and firm to the touch.

Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Variations

1. Press a handful of olives into the top of the dough of the unbaked focaccia. The olives can be whole or chopped depending on your preference, just make sure there are no stones!
2. Cut a handful of cherry tomatoes in half and press into the top of the dough before baking.
3. Lightly roast a few garlic cloves, slice and arrange over the top of the focaccia and then bake.
4. Slice about one quarter of a red onion and cook gently for a few minutes in a little olive oil until soft. Arrange over the top of the dough before baking.
5. Or you could try any combination of toppings either arranged in a pattern or to create your own food art.

Other bread recipes