Focaccia couldn't be simpler to make, especially for the beginner breadmaker. Traditionally, the bread is seasoned with just olive oil and sea salt. But it will gladly adapt to any chopped herbs you throw at it, like rosemary. Treat it like pizza dough and go hard on the toppings—olives, roasted garlic, tomatoes, even grapes. Make an Instagram-worthy garden focaccia! Or make this recipe as is. Enjoy it with a balsamic-olive oil dip, or cut into squares for sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 6 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp salt
- 4 tsp instant yeast
- 3 ½ cups lukewarm water
- ¾ cup olive oil, divided
Add flour to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add salt on one side of the bowl, and instant yeast on the other—you want these two ingredients on opposite sides so the salt doesn't kill the yeast.
If using active dry yeast, do not add it at this step. Instead, sprinkle it over lukewarm water and let bloom until foamy, 5 minutes.
With a dough hook attached, whisk the dry ingredients together until the salt and yeast are well-distributed. Add water and knead on medium speed until a sticky dough forms, about 5–8 minutes.
Add half of the olive oil into the dough. Knead until just more than half is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Pools of oil around the dough are okay.
Cover bowl with a damp towel and leave in a warm spot to proof for 3–4 hours, or until dough has more than doubled in size.
Pour the remaining olive oil into a rimmed 13x18" baking sheet. Take the risen dough and transfer onto the prepared sheet. Using your fingers, spread the dough out to the edges as much as possible. Poke dimples into the dough with your fingertips.
Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 450ºF (230ºC).
Bake focaccia until golden brown, about 40–45 minutes. Cool on a rack before slicing and serving.
