Focaccia is one of the most forgiving yeast breads to make at home: the dough should be wet, generously oiled, and handled gently. This olive and herb version combines a fluffy interior with a crisp, salty crust, briny olives, and aromatic rosemary, oregano, or thyme.
Ingredients
This recipe makes one focaccia in a 9-by-13-inch metal pan, serving about 8 to 10 people.
- 500 g bread flour, about 4 cups plus 1 tablespoon
- 10 g fine sea salt, about 1 3/4 teaspoons
- 7 g instant yeast, one standard packet
- 400 g lukewarm water, about 1 2/3 cups
- 30 g extra-virgin olive oil for the dough, about 2 tablespoons
- 45 to 60 g extra-virgin olive oil for the pan and topping, about 3 to 4 tablespoons
- 100 to 150 g pitted olives, halved or roughly chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried herbs
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
- Optional: 1 garlic clove, finely grated; lemon zest; cracked black pepper; red pepper flakes
Kalamata, Castelvetrano, green Spanish, or mixed olives all work well. If the olives are packed in brine, drain them thoroughly and pat them dry so their liquid does not make the surface watery. Very salty olives may require less finishing salt.
Prepare the Dough
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Add the flour, yeast, and salt to a large bowl. Stir briefly to distribute the ingredients. Keeping the yeast and salt mixed into the flour before adding water prevents concentrated contact between them.
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Pour in the lukewarm water and 30 g of olive oil. Stir with a sturdy wooden spoon or flexible spatula until no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy, sticky, and loose. That is expected; do not add extra flour simply to make it easier to handle.
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Cover the bowl with a lid, reusable cover, or lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This short pause gives the flour time to absorb water and makes the first fold easier.
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With a wet hand, reach underneath one side of the dough, stretch it upward without tearing, and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl and repeat three or four times. Cover and rest for 15 minutes, then repeat the folding process two or three more times.
The dough should gradually become smoother and more elastic. If it still tears easily, give it another 15-minute rest and one additional gentle fold. Wet hands are more useful than extra flour because they prevent sticking without making the finished bread dense.
First Rise and Cold Fermentation
After the final fold, cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature until noticeably puffy. Depending on the warmth of your kitchen, this usually takes 60 to 90 minutes. The dough does not need to double completely at this stage.
For deeper flavor and a more flexible schedule, refrigerate the covered dough for 8 to 24 hours after the initial room-temperature rise. Cold fermentation is optional, but it often makes focaccia taste more developed and can improve the texture. If your refrigerator is very cold, the dough may need several hours at room temperature before it becomes easy to stretch into the pan.
If you are baking the same day, proceed once the dough looks inflated and has bubbles around the edges. If the dough has barely changed after 90 minutes, your yeast may be old, the water may have been too cold, or the room may be chilly. Move the bowl to a comfortably warm location and allow more time rather than adding more yeast midway through the recipe.
Shape the Focaccia in the Pan
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Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Tilt the pan so the oil coats the bottom. A metal pan generally gives the crispest bottom, while glass may require a few extra minutes of baking.
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Scrape the dough into the pan. Turn it once so both sides are lightly coated with oil. Do not press all the air out.
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Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Then, using oiled fingertips, gently stretch it toward the corners. If it resists or springs back, stop and rest it for another 10 minutes before trying again. Forcing the dough can tear it and squeeze out the bubbles you want to preserve.
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Cover the pan and let the dough proof for 45 to 75 minutes, depending on whether it was chilled. It is ready when it looks very puffy, jiggles when the pan is nudged, and holds visible bubbles beneath the surface.
A shallow pan produces a thinner, crispier focaccia. For a thicker, softer piece, use a smaller pan, such as 9 by 9 inches, but expect a longer baking time. Do not fill the pan more than about halfway with dough before proofing, because the dough expands substantially.
Add the Olives, Herbs, and Dimples
Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F), preferably with a rack in the center. Let the oven preheat fully; focaccia benefits from an immediate burst of high heat.
Scatter the olives and fresh herbs over the proofed dough. If using garlic, mix it with a spoonful of olive oil before drizzling it over the top. Garlic can burn when exposed directly to a hot oven, so distributing it through oil helps protect it.
Pour the remaining olive oil over the surface. Dip your fingertips into the oil, then press straight down through the dough to the bottom of the pan. Make dimples across the entire surface, spacing them about 2 to 3 cm apart. The dimples should be deep enough to hold oil but not so aggressive that you deflate the dough completely.
Finish with a light sprinkling of flaky sea salt, cracked pepper, or red pepper flakes. Use salt carefully when combining salty olives with salted dough. A little lemon zest added after baking can brighten the flavor without increasing saltiness.
Bake Until Golden
Bake for 22 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan once if your oven browns unevenly. The focaccia is done when the top is deeply golden, the edges look crisp, and the bottom is browned rather than pale. If the top colors too quickly while the center remains soft, loosely cover the pan with foil for the final minutes.
For a particularly crisp top, brush or drizzle a little additional olive oil over the hot bread immediately after it comes out of the oven. Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack. Cooling on a rack prevents steam from softening the bottom.
Wait at least 20 minutes before slicing. A longer cooling period gives the interior time to set, although focaccia is excellent while still slightly warm. Use a serrated knife or tear it into pieces with your hands.
| Problem | Likely cause | Practical fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dense, heavy crumb | Under-proofed dough or too much added flour | Allow more rise time and keep the dough wet |
| Dough will not stretch | Gluten needs to relax or dough is cold | Rest 10 to 15 minutes, then stretch gently |
| Pale, soft bottom | Too little oil, low oven heat, or glass pan | Use enough oil, preheat fully, and bake on a lower rack |
| Burned olives or herbs | Small pieces exposed to intense heat | Use larger pieces, add delicate herbs later, or cover loosely |
| Focaccia collapses | Over-proofing or rough handling | Bake when puffy and bubbly, and dimple gently |
Herb and Olive Variations
Rosemary is the classic pairing, but several combinations work well:
- Use green Castelvetrano olives, lemon zest, and thyme for a mild, bright focaccia.
- Combine Kalamata olives, oregano, black pepper, and a little crumbled feta after baking.
- Add sliced roasted red peppers and parsley for a colorful Mediterranean version.
- Use rosemary, garlic-infused oil, and a pinch of chili flakes for a stronger savory flavor.
- Add caramelized onions beneath the olives, but cool them completely before scattering them over the dough.
- Replace some olives with sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, blotting away excess oil first.
Fresh herbs usually provide the clearest flavor, but dried herbs are convenient. Use about one-third as much dried herb as fresh because their flavor is concentrated. Tender herbs such as parsley or basil are best added after baking or just before serving, since they can darken in the oven.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Serving
The dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours after its first rise. You can also refrigerate the shaped dough in the oiled pan, covered, for up to 12 hours. Before baking, let it sit at room temperature until puffy and relaxed; this may take 60 to 120 minutes.
Baked focaccia is best on the day it is made, but it keeps at room temperature for up to two days in an airtight container or tightly wrapped. To restore some crispness, heat slices in a 190°C (375°F) oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Avoid storing it in the refrigerator unless necessary, because cold storage makes bread stale faster.
For longer storage, cool the focaccia completely, cut it into portions, wrap them well, and freeze for up to three months. Reheat frozen pieces directly in a hot oven until warmed through.
Serve the focaccia with soup, salad, roasted vegetables, or a cheese board. It also makes an excellent sandwich bread: slice a thick piece horizontally and fill it with mozzarella, tomato, greens, grilled vegetables, or cured meats. For an appetizer, cut it into small squares and serve with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or whipped feta.
Important Practical Limits
Focaccia dough is intentionally wetter than standard sandwich bread, so flour measurements by volume can vary significantly. If possible, weigh the ingredients. If measuring with cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it rather than scooping directly from the bag.
The exact rise time depends on room temperature, yeast freshness, flour strength, and water temperature. Use the dough’s appearance as the main guide: it should be puffy, bubbly, and relaxed before shaping and baking. A clock is useful for planning, but it cannot replace those visual cues.
Do not leave the dough or baked bread in a warm oven unattended, and use caution when handling the hot pan and oil. If using olives with pits, remove every pit before adding them to the dough. The safest and most dependable result comes from pitted olives, fully proofed dough, thorough preheating, and enough olive oil to coat both the pan and the surface.