Rosemary Focaccia

About this recipe

Focaccia is the bread for people who think they can't bake—no kneading, no shaping skills, just time and good olive oil. This Italian flatbread emerges from a slow rise with an open, bubbly crumb and a gloriously dimpled top pooling with olive oil and rosemary. It's the kind of bread that lives in Mediterranean bakeries and family kitchens, made without a single animal product. The dough is deliberately wet and slack; that high hydration is what creates the signature texture—every hole, every pocket is a small air bubble waiting to burst on your tongue. It's tender, almost pillowy, with enough chew to feel substantial. The rosemary isn't scattered on top for decoration; it's pressed into the oil so it fries gently, releasing its piney oils directly into the bread. Fresh rosemary matters here—dried turns bitter. Patience is your only real ingredient. The dough needs sixty minutes to double on its first rise, then another twenty to puff again after you've shaped it. The dimpling step is where the magic happens: press your fingertips hard into the risen dough, creating small craters all over the surface. This isn't delicate work—you're trying to deflate it slightly, not creating a perfect landscape. Then you flood those dimples with olive oil so it pools and fries the surface golden and crisp while the crumb stays tender underneath. Slice it warm, tear it with your hands, dip it in good olive oil with balsamic. It keeps well for two days in an airtight container and freezes beautifully for up to a month. Toast it lightly to revive it, and it tastes almost fresh-baked again.