Rosemary Sea Salt Focaccia

This homemade rosemary sea salt focaccia is probably my favorite bread to date.

Why? Three words (okay, so five):

Olive Oil

Rosemary

Sea Salt

Plus it’s bread.

Flour: I’m using bread flour because it’s meant for bread right? I’m also using a little white whole wheat. Go ahead and use all bread flour… it’s no big deal. You’ll also need olive oil, honey, yeast, salt {kosher and sea salt for sprinkling later} and fresh rosemary springs. Did I mention they’re from my herb garden??!!

Make The Focaccia Dough:

Start by adding about a teaspoon of honey to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup.

I use an instant digital thermometer {yes, still} to measure the temperature of my water, which should be 120°-ish. Too cold and the yeast won’t bloom. Too hot and you’ll straight-up kill it. I’ve never had yeast fail me by taking my waters temperature. Never.

Give the water and honey a quick stir…

…before sprinkling the yeast onto the water.

Let it sit for 5-8 minutes for the warm honey-water to do its thang with the yeast.

Meanwhile; in the bowl of your mixer {fitted with a dough hook!} add in the 2 cups bread flour, 2/3 cup whole wheat white and a teaspoon of kosher salt.

And mix on the lowest setting to give it a quick stir.

On low speed, slowly pour in the yeasty, honey-water.

Keep mixing on low until it just starts to come together.

Then pour in 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.

Mix on medium once the dry ingredients are incorporated and keep going until a ball-o-dough has formed.

See! It has that dimply old man skin my mom always told me to look for when making bread/pizza dough.

Side Note: I only HOPE my skin looks that good when I’m old!

Add about a teaspoon or two into a large bowl.

Roll the dough all around in it, going up and around the inside of the bowl to coat.

Let The Dough Rise:

Cover with a tea towel and set the bowl in a warm spot to rise for two hours.

Once risen…

Then pour a generous amount of olive oil into a small sheet pan. Rub the entire inside of the pan so when the bread won’t stick when you try to remove it later.

Next, use your hands to stretch and press the dough to fit the pan. If you don’t have a small sheet pan, any size will do! It just might be more rustic looking… which is totally cool anyways!

Again with the tea towel. This time, it only needs to rise for 30-40 minutes.

Poof! Next, strip off the rosemary leaves and give the larger ones a chop and sprinkle them over top of the focaccia dough.

Then use your fingers and press dimples into the bread every inch or so. This part is so much fun… it’s easy to get carried away, trust me.

Next, drizzle with MORE olive oil… 2 tablespoons to be exact…

Making sure to fill those dimples.

Now all that’s left to do is sprinkle with a couple pinches of that flaked sea salt and then it’s ready to bake! Slide the focaccia dough in a preheated 450 degree oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway during baking.

Next, remove and let the rosemary sea salt focaccia cool for 5 minutes before removing and slicing. If it sticks just run knife around the edge and use an off-set spatula to get underneath the bread. Lift out and place onto a cutting board to slice.

The olive oil will literally crisp the outer edges of the rosemary sea salt focaccia giving it a buttery and uh crisp {sorry lacking for a better word here} exterior.

Watch out… this bread is crazy addicting!

Bread lovers UNITE!

Enjoy! And if you give this Rosemary Sea Salt Focaccia recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

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Yield: 12 servings

Rosemary + Sea Salt Focaccia

A classic and super easy focaccia bread recipe!

Prep Time: 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water, about 110 degrees
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 cups unbleached bread flour
• 2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for bowl, pan and drizzling
• 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2-3 pinches flaked sea salt

Instructions 

• In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup add a teaspoon of honey and the cup of warm (115-120 degrees) water. Give it a quick stir before sprinkling the packet of yeast over top of the water. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. It should foam.
• Meanwhile, in a mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment add in the flours and kosher salt. Turn it on and give it a quick stir.
• Pour in the yeast mixture and continue to blend until it just starts to come together. Lastly measure and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Keep blending until a ball forms in your mixer.
• Add a teaspoon of oil toa large bowl. Remove the dough from the hook and shape into a ball. Place it into the bowl and toss it around to coat the dough and the inside of the bowl with the olive oil. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set it in a warm area to rise for two hours.
• Add a few tablespoons of oli to a quarter sheet pan.
• Remove the dough and use your hand to gently punch it down and expell the air. Stretch and press the dough down to fit (or almost fit) the pan or rustically form it on a larger sheet pan. Cover again with the tea towel and let it rise for another 30-40 minutes.
• Preheat your oven to 450°.
• Once the dough has risen for the second time, sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary.
• Use your finger and make dimples every couple of inches. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil making sure the oil pools up in those dimples. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt and pop into the preheated oven.
• Immediately reduce the temperature to 375 and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown.
• Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before removing. If the bread sticks use an off-set spatula to loosen the edges and bottom from the pan.
• Cut into squares and enjoy!

Serving: 1piece, Calories: 127kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 261mg, Potassium: 52mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 8IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Laurie McNamara

Course: Breads & Baked Goods

Cuisine: Italian