Name: Rosemary Focaccia
Prep time: 2 h 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Yield: 1 baking dish
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour; 380 ml water; 7 g dried yeast; 40 ml olive oil; 10 g sea salt; 1 teaspoon caster sugar; plain flour; 50 ml olive oil; 4 sprigs rosemary; 2 cloves garlic; sea salt

Step by step process

Preparing the Dough

1
Into a large bowl, add plain flour. place the dried yeast with sugar on one side and salt on the other, so the salt does not touch the yeast and weaken its activity.
2
Gradually pour in lukewarm water (approx. 35 °C) and olive oil, stirring with a spoon or your hand until a sticky, pliable dough forms with no lumps of flour at the bottom.
3
Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 minutes, then gently work it in the bowl with a damp hand using the stretch and fold method - stretch one edge and fold it over the centre, rotate the bowl, and repeat 8 times.
TIP:
A gentle technique for developing the gluten network in sticky dough without heavy kneading. Gradually stretch the edges of the dough and fold them over the center (rotate the bowl by 90°). Perform 4-8 folds during the first 30-45 minutes of fermentation, with a 5-10 minute rest between sets. This creates a stronger network and a lighter, airier final product.

Proofing

4
Cover the bowl with cling film or a damp towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in volume and bubbles appear on the surface.
5
Grease a deep baking tray or roasting dish approximately 25 × 35 cm with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, spreading it evenly over the bottom and sides.
6
Carefully transfer the risen dough into the prepared tray and gently stretch it into the corners with floured fingers. if the dough springs back, let it rest for 10 minutes and stretch again.
7
Cover the tray with a towel and let the dough proof on the tray for another 30-45 minutes, until it has puffed up and feels airy to the touch.

Dimpling and Baking

8
Preheat the oven to 220 °C (top and bottom heat). Using fingers dipped in olive oil, press deep dimples all over the surface of the dough, pushing right down to the bottom of the tray - this creates the characteristic dimpled appearance of focaccia.
9
Mix the remaining olive oil with chopped rosemary needles and, optionally, crushed garlic cloves. spread the mixture evenly over the surface of the dough so it runs into the dimples.
10
Sprinkle the surface with coarse sea salt and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the focaccia turns golden brown and the crust is firm. the bottom should sound hollow when tapped.
11
Remove the finished focaccia from the oven and immediately drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil so the surface has a beautiful sheen and the crust remains supple.

Serving

12
Allow the focaccia to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cut into rectangular portions.
13
Serve warm as a side to soups, salads, or antipasti, or sliced in half as the base for an Italian sandwich.

More tips:

The dough hydration is high (approx. 76%), so work with it using damp hands or a dough scraper - do not add extra flour, or you will lose the characteristic airy structure with open holes.

For a more intense flavour, let the dough rise slowly overnight in the refrigerator (8-12 hours) and bring it to room temperature before shaping - it will develop a deeper aroma and be easier to work with.

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