Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Old Man Winter, step aside! While you might be snowed in, iced over, up to your eyeballs in scarves and jackets in the middle of winter, I'm here to share a classic bread recipe that is perfect to pair with your comforting soups and heart stews. Rosemary Focaccia is similar to making pizza dough, a simple recipe using few embellishments to make it feel special.

Orange zest and coarse sea salt take this rustic bread to another level, and will make your kitchen smell amazing! This yeast bread takes a little bit of patience to attain the perfect rise, but is well worth it in the end!


Because of the ease of this recipe, it is perfect to get the kids involved. Give them an opportunity to add the flour and knead this soft, slightly tacky dough. Bread baking is a tactile experience, and little fingers love working with dough, squishing through the olive oil and poking the holes before baking.

 

This recipe makes 2-9" round loaves. You can also roll it out to fit a baking sheet for pan-style pizzas, like my meaty Sloppy Joe Pizza.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

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Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ tps (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 ½ c warm water
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ⅓ c olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
  

• 2 tsp coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast, sugar, and salt into warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
2. In your mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, add flour, rosemary, and orange zest.
3. On low, pour yeast mixture and olive oil into flour, letting the mixer mix everything to combine.
4. Turn mixer up to medium and let it knead the dough for 3-5 minutes until smooth, just-tacky consistency. If dough feels sticky, add additional flour in small increments until it reaches the desired feel.
5. Turn dough out into an oiled bowl, coating the dough in olive oil, and cover in plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot and let rise until double in volume, about 1 - 1 ½ hours.
6. Punch dough down and turn out onto a floured board. Divide dough into 2 even balls and knead for 2 additional minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 400° F. Prepare dough for baking, following the directions for rounds or pan-pizza style:

For Focaccia Rounds:

1. Coat the bottom and sides of 2 9” round cake pans with olive oil, and place a ball of dough into each.
2. Stretch dough to the edge of the pan, creating deep dimples with your fingers. Flip dough over and repeat on second side.
3. Cover with plastic and let rise 20 minutes, until dough has risen. Sprinkle each round with 1 tsp coarse sea salt and bake in the center rack for 30-40 minutes, until deep golden brown.
4. Let cool for 15 minutes, then remove from pans. Let cool completely before slicing.

 

For Focaccia Pan Pizza:

1. Coat the bottom of 2 sheet pans with olive oil.
2. On a floured board, roll dough to approximately the size of your pan. Place dough into pans and press out to fit to edges of pan.
3. Brush a coat of olive oil onto the top and cover to let rise, about 20 minutes.
4. Par-bake crusts for 12-15 minutes. Top with cheese and your choice of pizza toppings, then bake for 12-15 additional minutes, until edges of crust are golden and cheese is melted and bubbly.
5. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

Looking for recipes to enjoy your fresh baked focaccia with?

 

Potato Soup - To Work With My Hands

 

White Bean Penne with Pork Ragu - The Complete Savorist