History and Origin of Foccacia Bread
Focaccia hails from Northern Italy, but it has become a beloved canvas for culinary creativity across continents. This simple yeast-leavened flatbread holds up well to a variety of sweet and savory toppings while delivering a tender, airy crumb and crackly-crisp crust.
While most bread recipes call for rapid rise or instant yeast to shorten total cooking time, traditional focaccia relies on active dry yeast, which needs more time to work its magic. When making focaccia at home, allowing the dough adequate time to rise and develop gluten results in the signature chewy texture it is known for.
The Science Behind Yeast Dough
The initial proofing step activates the yeast before getting mixed into the dough. Once incorporated, the living yeast organisms feed on the starch and sugar present in the flour and water. As they consume these starches, the yeast releases carbon dioxide and ethanol gas, which causes the dough to inflate with thousands of air pockets.
Kneading the dough develops stretchy gluten strands that trap these air bubbles and create an airier interior crumb. This whole process of proofing, kneading, and rising is what gives foccacia its quintessential flavor and texture. Rushing the rising time often results in misshapen loaves that collapse in the middle or take on a dense, cake-like consistency.
When dealing with fresh yeast, a longer fermentation time translates to better flavor as well. During the initial rise, enzymatic activity breaks down carbohydrates and proteins into simple sugars and amino acids. Additional complex aromas are created as the byproducts of fermentation chemically transform the dough, producing compounds that give foccacia its slightly tangy, beer-like taste and perfumed aroma.
Preparing the Dough for Rosemary Focaccia Bread
The beauty of Focaccia lies in its rustic simplicity balanced by complex flavor. Despite its impressive height and open honeycomb texture, it requires no specialty flours or equipment. This no-knead dough comes together in minutes.
Overflowing with olive oil and studded with floral rosemary, this herbaceous flatbread only gets better with time. An overnight rest in the refrigerator allows the flavors to meld and distribute evenly throughout while the yeast continues to aerate the dough.
Bringing the chilled loaf back to room temperature the next day gives the yeast renewed energy to proof the dough once more before heading into the oven.
If you don’t have time to wait, you can use the recipe below to have delicious rosemary focaccia bread in 2 hours. If you do have time, you can skip the kneading instructions.
Creating Focaccia’s Signature Appearance
The finishing touch of dimples across the surface allows pools of olive oil to collect and crispy, salty bits of rosemary to take hold. Olive oil not only provides a conditioning fat that keeps the bread moist but also enhances flavor and browning.
Sprinkled generously across the focaccia, chopped rosemary and crunchy sea salt provide bursts of flavor in every bite without weighing down the aerated crumb.
Executing the Perfect Bake
As the dough proofs, steam is produced rapidly in the initial baking phase. This burst of steam gelatinizes starches on the dough’s exterior to set the crust before the interior crumb solidifies. Once the steam evaporates, the crust hardens and browns quickly at high heat while the moisture migrates toward the center of the bread.
Getting the perfect balance of initial steam followed by evaporative concentration allows foccacia to achieve both a crackly crisp crust with a soft, chewy crumb. Pulling the bread at precisely the right moment before it dries out is the art of baking leavened bread.
The aroma of rosemary filling your kitchen is a good indicator that your bread is ready to enjoy!
The Superiority of Homemade Bread
They lack the lively yeasty flavor and satisfying chew of hand-shaped loaves given ample time to rise and develop gluten. By making rosemary focaccia at home, you control the quality of ingredients and can adjust proofs and baking time based on temperature and humidity levels in your kitchen.
You’ll be rewarded with a far superior product that impresses family and friends. Don’t be intimidated to attempt your own bread baking. Unlike cake or cookies, small imperfections make homemade bread even more irresistible!
Focaccia’s Endless Possibilities
The basic ingredients of flour, water, yeast, oil, and salt serve as a flavorful canvas you can top with anything from caramelized onions to potatoes, sausage, pepperoni or cheese. Sweet versions shine with berries, nuts, or seeds baked right on top.
Cut into pieces or served whole, this versatile bread keeps well wrapped at room temperature for several days. With its outstanding flat shape, focaccia also makes excellent sandwiches that won’t crush delicate ingredients or sog out on the bottom. Any way you dress it up, foccacia is sure to be the star side or snack!
A Bread Worth Mastering
Once you’ve smelled that enticing rosemary aroma fill your home and tasted the combination of crisp herbed crust with fluffy, oil-kissed crumb, this Italian treasure is sure to become a fast favorite you’ll want to bake every week. With its stunning blistered appearance and mouthwateringly complex flavor, homemade rosemary focaccia will have your kitchen blooming like an Italian country garden!
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Homemade Rosemary Focaccia Bread
Aromatic, olive oil-rich Italian flatbread with a golden crust and soft, chewy interior, sprinkled with fresh rosemary and sea salt
- Total Time: 1 hours and 45 minutes to 2 hours
Ingredients
Warm Water: 1 1/2 cups (around 110°F)
Sugar: 1 tablespoon
Active Dry Yeast: 2 teaspoons
All-Purpose Flour: 4 cups
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 1/4 cup, plus more for drizzling
Salt: 2 teaspoons
Fresh Rosemary: 2 tablespoons, finely chopped
Coarse Sea Salt: For sprinkling
Instructions
Proof the yeast: Mix warm water and sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top, stir, and let it sit until foamy (5-10 minutes).
Knead the dough: Gradually add flour, olive oil, and salt. Knead for 5 minutes in the mixer or by hand.
First dough rise: Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size (45-60 minutes).
Second dough rise: Roll the dough on a floured surface into a circle or rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Cover and let rise for another 20 minutes.
Prepare the dough: Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer dough to a parchment-covered baking sheet. Poke deep dents in the dough, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt.
Bake: For 20 minutes or until slightly golden and cooked through.
Serve: Drizzle with more olive oil if desired, slice, and serve warm.
Notes
If you don’t have flaky sea salt, use half the amount of fine sea salt.
If you can’t let the dough rest overnight, you will have to knead the dough.
For hand kneading, mix ingredients in a bowl, then knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
