Easy Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Easy Rosemary Focaccia Bread is an oily crusty bread, that is topped with fresh rosemary, kosher salt, and then more olive oil. Best if eaten fresh the first day!

I’m a total bread girl. Me and Oprah could be best friends, I think. Because I’m never gonna say “no more bread”.

Over the years, I’ve probably made a thousand batches of fresh bread. I learned from the best, Norma Jean, who pretty much baked every other day. She taught me all of her tricks, including learning how sticky it should be, or how much flour is just the right amount, based on touch and sight. She taught me that you should ALWAYS have a slice of fresh bread THE day you bake it. Because that’s what great bakers do. They taste and then they learn, and go on to make even better bread the next time around.

For sure, my bread consumption (and that of my family’s) has decreased. But you can bet that I’m never ever EVER gonna turn down FRESH bread. Never.

Steps to make Focaccia Bread.

1. Make the dough in a standing mixer. I use my Bosch Universal Mixer.
2. Let the dough rise in a warm corner of your kitchen.
3. Press the dough out on a well-oiled half baking sheet.
4. Push your fingers into the dough to form little indentions all over.
5. Make sure there are plenty of finger indentions.
6. Let rise again, and then pour olive oil over the top.
7. Use fresh rosemary, and remove the leaves from the stem.
8. Sprinkle the top of the dough with fresh diced rosemary and kosher salt.
9. Bake and EAT.

You COULD, of course, mix up this dough by hand. But I’ve never done it that way. 🙂

If I could explain the TASTE of focaccia bread, it would be this.

• crunchy on the outside
• soft on the inside
• salty
• oily
• and OMG delish

This would go great with any meal, especially saucy ones that need sopping up, like my Traditional Bolognese Sauce or Classic Lasagna Roll-Ups.

A few tips:

1. When you add the warm water to the yeast, sugar, and salt – be careful to use WARM water, not hot. If the water is too hot, the yeast will disappear and you can’t make bread without yeast. Also, do not use cool water because it won’t activate the yeast.
2. Don’t add all the flour at once because every baking day is different. Some days you will need a bit more flour and some days, you will need less.
3. The dough shouldn’t be overly sticky when ready. It should bounce back slightly to the touch. Over time, you will learn exactly how much flour is needed to make the ultimate focaccia bread.
4. The olive oil is key to getting a perfect focaccia bread. Don’t skimp.
5. If you don’t have a half baking sheet, use a 9×13, or a couple of round pans.
6. Make sure you use those fingertips to make little impressions all over the top of the dough.
7. Use FRESH rosemary and plenty of kosher salt.
8. When done, the bottom of the bread should be slightly brown and crunchy, and the top, a nice golden brown.
9. For best results, eat fresh the first day!

Make this bread recipe next: Chewy French Bread

Please let know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.

xoxo ~Sue

Easy Rosemary Focaccia Bread

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: rosemary focaccia bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

resting time: 2 hours

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 20 servings

Calories: 143kcal

Author: Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the bread:

• 1 Tablespoon yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water - not hot, not cold
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 cups all-purpose flour - may need slightly more flour

To prepare the bread for baking:

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil - for prepping pan
• 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary - chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt - maybe more if desired

Instructions

• Prepare the yeast mixture. Combine the yeast, sugar, and the warm water in a large mixer. Be careful to use WARM water, not hot. Mix and let sit for about 15 minutes to get the yeast working. It should foam up.
• Add the salt and olive oil, and stir with a spatula. Attach dough hook to mixer and then add three cups of the flour. Start the mixer, and let it run until flour is fully absorbed.
• Gradually add remaining cup (or more). You want the bread dough to be slightly sticky but not too much. Be sure to leave the mixer on for several minutes after you get the right consistency.
• Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Add dough to the bowl, making sure you smooth it into a ball. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and set it in a warm corner of your kitchen. Let the dough rise until doubled in size.
  
• Prepare a half baking sheet (mine is 10 x 15 but you could use  a 9 x 13 or a couple of round pans) with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough round on top and pour another tablespoon on top. Then use your hands to stretch it out over the pan.
• After the dough is stretched to the edges, use your fingertips to make little imprints all over the dough.
• Cover the dough with a dish towel, and let the dough rice again until doubled in size, about an hour.
• Drizzle the dough with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, so it pools into the little imprints, and then sprinkle with the fresh rosemary and kosher salt. Let rise again until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 - 23 minutes, until golden brown on top. Transfer to cooling racks. 
• Cut and serve!

Notes

1. When you add the warm water to the yeast, sugar, and salt – be careful to use WARM water, not hot. If the water is too hot, the yeast will disappear and you can’t make bread without yeast. Also, do not use cool water because it won’t activate the yeast.
2. Don’t add all the flour at once because every baking day is different. Some days you will need a bit more flour and some days, you will need less.
3. The dough shouldn’t be overly sticky when ready. It should bounce back slightly to the touch. Over time, you will learn exactly how much flour is needed to make the ultimate focaccia bread.
4. The olive oil is key to getting a perfect focaccia bread. Don't skimp.
5. If you don't have a half baking sheet, use a 9x13, or a couple of round pans.
6. Make sure you use those fingertips to make little impressions all over the top of the dough.
7. Use FRESH rosemary and plenty of kosher salt.
8. When done, the bottom of the bread should be slightly brown and crunchy, and the top, a nice golden brown.
9. For best results, eat fresh the first day!

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 28mg | Vitamin A: 5IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1.2mg