Rosemary Focaccia

Rosemary focaccia is the Italian-Jewish flatbread that proves simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. A pillowy, olive-oil-drenched slab, dimpled with fingertips and scattered with fresh rosemary needles and flaky salt. It is bread reduced to its most essential and most glorious form.

Italian Jews have been baking focaccia for centuries, long before it became a worldwide favorite. In the Jewish quarters of Genoa and Livorno, focaccia was everyday bread — torn, shared, dipped in olive oil, and eaten with tomatoes and olives. It was the bread of the comunità, baked communally and broken together.

This recipe is intentionally high-hydration, producing a dough that is wet, bubbly, and requires almost no kneading. The generous olive oil creates a crispy, golden bottom and a cloud-soft interior. The rosemary perfumes every bite.

What Makes This Special

• High hydration (80%) — wet dough creates an incredibly airy, open crumb.
• Generous olive oil — both in the dough and in the pan for a crispy, golden bottom.
• No-knead method — stretch-and-fold technique, no stand mixer required.
• Fresh rosemary and flaky salt — the classic topping that needs no improvement.

Kosher Observance & Halachic Notes

Ingredients

Toppings

• 3–4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped
• Flaky sea salt (Maldon)
• Optional: cherry tomatoes, olives, thinly sliced onions

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Mix

Combine flour, salt, yeast, and honey in a large bowl. Add water and 30 g olive oil. Stir with a spatula until no dry flour remains. The dough will be very wet and shaggy. Cover and rest 15 minutes.

Step 2: Stretch and Fold

Perform 3 sets of stretch-and-folds at 30-minute intervals. Wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold over. Rotate and repeat 4 times per set. After 3 sets, the dough should be smooth and elastic.

Step 3: First Rise

Cover and rise 1 hour until nearly doubled.

Step 4: Pan and Dimple

Pour 45 g olive oil into a 33 × 23 cm (13 × 9 inch) sheet pan or a 30 cm (12 inch) round pan. Scrape the dough into the pan. Using oiled fingertips, gently stretch and press the dough to fill the pan, dimpling the surface deeply. If the dough resists, rest 10 minutes and try again. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the top.

Step 5: Second Rise

Cover and proof 30–45 minutes until puffy and bubbly.

Step 6: Top and Bake

Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Re-dimple the surface gently. Press rosemary leaves into the dimples. Sprinkle generously with flaky salt. Bake 22–28 minutes until golden on top and deeply golden on the bottom (lift an edge to check).

Step 7: Serve

Let cool in the pan 5 minutes, then slide onto a cutting board. Cut into squares or rectangles. Serve warm.

Storage & Make-Ahead

• Room temperature: Best day-of. Reheat at 190°C (375°F) for 5 minutes to re-crisp.
• Freezing: Freeze baked focaccia up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 190°C for 10 minutes.
• Overnight option: After mixing, refrigerate the dough overnight. Next day, pour into oiled pan, let rise 1–2 hours at room temperature, then bake.

Troubleshooting

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use dried rosemary?

Fresh rosemary is far superior here. Dried rosemary becomes hard and poky when baked on top of bread. If you must, use dried rosemary mixed into the dough rather than on top.

What other toppings work?

Focaccia is endlessly customizable: halved cherry tomatoes, pitted olives, thinly sliced red onion, za’atar, caramelized onions, or simply more olive oil and salt. For a grape focaccia (focaccia con l’uva), press halved grapes into the dough.

Why so much olive oil?

The generous oil is essential. It creates the crispy, golden bottom crust, keeps the interior moist, and gives focaccia its characteristic richness. Do not reduce the oil.

Can I make focaccia for Shabbat?

Absolutely. It makes wonderful lechem mishneh, though you will need two pieces. Bake two half-sheet pans, or one large and cut it before Shabbat.