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T his scrumptious and savory flatbread with a porous and tender crumb is infused and
slathered with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and topped with Fresh Rosemary, Coarse Sea Salt, and
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the best imported Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese you can find. Focaccia al Rosmarino is

delicious alone as a snack or appetizer with a glass of wine or served as an accompaniment to a
full meal. RECENT POSTS

Focaccia (pronounced “fuh-KA-cha”) is a type of Italian yeast bread baked as a flat sheet or in a Pane di Patate Rustico | Straight Dough
disk. The name comes from the Latin ‘focacia‘ meaning hearth or fireside. The Focaccia dough is Method
deeply flavored with extra virgin olive oil and topped with more extra virgin olive oil coarse sea Bialys | Sponge Method
salt, cheese,  herbs and sometimes other vegetables. Common focaccia bread toppings include
Chewy Brownies | Triple Chocolate
olives, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, or tomatoes. After the dough proofs, the baker brushes a
generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and then uses their fingertips to dimple the entire Honey Wheat Bread
surface of the focaccia dough. The focaccia dough is then topped lightly with coarse salt, cheese, Pączki | Polish Doughnuts
and herbs, frequently rosemary is used.

The Focaccia Toppings – Use the Best!

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You can’t make great tasting food from ingredients that are not of the best quality. This is a
perfect opportunity to visit your local specialty food store or Italian Market to check out the
Coarse Sea Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses they have to offer. Ask
for a taste and suggestions from the staff at the deli counter or owners.  Here in the Detroit Metro
Area, we are lucky to have wonderful imported food emporiums like Zingerman’s Deli,
Zingerman’s Creamery, and Cantoro’s Italian Market.

What is a “Poolish?” aka (Biga or Preferment)

Italian bakers use a stiff preferment known as a biga in Italy. This recipe uses a poolish which uses
an equal weight of flour and water making the hydration at 100%. This process of fermenting
flour, water and a very small amount of yeast for an 8 to 10 hour period before incorporating it
into the final dough develops the natural sweetness of the flour without the use of any refined
sugar or sweetener in the final bread. The poolish also develops the final texture of the crumb and
helps to preserve the bread by making it less perishable. To make the poolish is short work for the
baker. Combine the water, flour, and yeast beat to combine, cover and let ferment for 8 to 10
hours. You, the baker will be rewarded with amazing flavor and texture in your bread for just a
few minutes of your time the night or morning before you plan to bake this bread.

As with all baking recipe I recommend you weigh the ingredients for the Focaccia al Rosmarino.
Weighing ensures you have a consistent dough each and every time. As bakers, we are always
striving to remove any variables from the process of baking.

The full instructional video for Focaccia al Rosmarino is at the bottom of this blog post. Follow this
link to “LIKE” and “SUBSCRIBE” to my YouTube Channel “Just One Bite, Please?”

Equipment: (Shop my Amazon Page for Ingredients & Equipment)

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Mixing Bowls
Measuring Cups & Spoons/Electronic Baking Scale
Rubber Spatula
Plastic Bowl Scrape
Non-Stick Spray or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Plastic Wrap

Focaccia

Poolish (Preferment) – Mix 8 to 10 hours before mixing the final dough

Measured          Grams             Ingredients

1 cup                       227 g.            Water (room temperature)
1-1/2 cup                227 g.            All-Purpose Flour (unbleached, unbromated)
1/4 tsp.                 1/4 tsp.            Instant Yeast

Mixing the Poolish (Preferment)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the water, instant yeast, and all-purpose flour
2. Mix the ingredients with a rubber spatula to combine and then beat well.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and clean off the spatula.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (cling film) and let ferment at room temperature 68º-74ºF
(20º-23ºC) for 8 to 10 hours.

Final Dough

Measured          Grams             Ingredients

2-½ cup                   454 g.           Poolish (from above)
½ cup                      113 g.           Water (room temperature)
½ tsp.                          2 g.            Instant Yeast
1/3 cup                     70 g.            Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-½ cups                340 g.            All Purpose Flour (unbleached, unbromated)
1-½ tsp.                    14 g.            Sea Salt (fine)

Mixing the dough:

1. Combine the water with the fermented poolish and scrape the bowl to loosen the poolish.
2. Pour the poolish into a large mixing bowl and add the olive oil, instant yeast, and half of the
all-purpose flour.
3. Mix using a rubber spatula to incorporate the ingredients and then beat until a smooth
batter forms.
4. Add the remaining all-purpose flour and sea salt and fold to combine.
5. Mix until the dough becomes a shaggy mass.
6. Scrape down the bowl and scrape off the rubber spatula with a plastic scrape and turn the
dough onto the work surface.
7. Knead the dough together for 2 to 3 minutes to incorporate the ingredients. The dough will
be sticky. “Do not add any flour to the work surface.”
8. Continue to knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes or until the dough is strong and elastic.
9. Round the dough into a ball.
10. Spray a bowl with non-stick spray or oil and place the dough into the bowl. Cover with
plastic wrap.
11. Ferment the dough for 1 hour at room temperature 68ºF-74ºF (20ºC-23ºC)
12. After 1 hour, uncover the dough.
13. Lightly oil the work surface with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and turn the dough onto the oiled
work surface.
14. Degas the dough and stretch and fold the dough.
15. Place the folded dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
16. Ferment the dough 1 hour at room temperature 68ºF-74ºF (20ºC-23ºC)

Pre-heat the oven and Baking Stone to 475ºF (246ºC) 1 hour before baking the focaccia

Equipment:

Baking Stone 14″ x 16″ (Old Stone Oven Baking Stone)

Cornmeal – 1/4 cup
½-Sheet of Parchment Paper
Large Wooden Cutting Board or ½-Sheet Pan
Cooling Rack
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1/2 cup
Pastry Brush
Baker’s Peel/Pizza Peel
Parmesan-Reggiano (coarsely grated) – 2 oz.
Coarse Sea Salt – 2 tsp.
Fresh Rosemary (coarsely chopped) 2 Tbsp.

Pre-shaping, Final Shaping, and Baking the Focaccia:

1. Place a 1/2-sheet of parchment paper on the cutting board.

2. Sprinkle the parchment paper with cornmeal and then set aside until needed.
3. After the dough has fermented 1 hour. Lightly oil the work surface with Extra Virgin Olive
Oil.
4. Uncover the dough and turn it onto the oiled work surface.
5. Degas the and press the dough into a 10” x 16” (25 cm x 40 cm) rectangle.
6. Fold the short sides into the center of the dough.
7. Fold and pinch the seams together to seal the dough.
8. Turn the dough over and lightly press into an 8” x 12” (20 cm x 30 cm) rectangle.
9. Place the dough onto the cornmeal coated parchment paper.
10. Stretch and press to reform the dough into the 8” x 12” (20 cm x 30 cm) rectangle if
necessary.
11. Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap.
12. Proof the focaccia for 1 hour at room temperature 68ºF-74ºF (20ºC-23ºC) or until the dough
holds an indentation from your fingertip.
13. After 1 hour, uncover the focaccia and brush the top with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
14. Use your fingertips, press and dimple the surface of the focaccia to expand the focaccia into a
10” x 14” (25 cm x 35 cm) rectangle.
15. Sprinkle the top of the focaccia with the coarse sea salt and the grated Parmesan cheese.
16. Use the bakers’ peel and slide the focaccia onto the preheated baking stone.
17. Bake the focaccia at 475ºF (246ºC) for 20 to 24 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Turn
the focaccia during baking if necessary to get even browning.
18. Remove the focaccia from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack.
19. Immediately brush the baked focaccia with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkle the top with
the chopped rosemary.
20. Cool the focaccia for 20 minutes before cutting and eating.
21. Enjoy!

Note: The Focaccia is best eaten within 3 days from the baking date. Store the Focaccia wrapped in
plastic at room temperature or freeze. Thaw to room temperature and reheat in the oven to enjoy.

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 Baking, Bread, Flat Breads, Food Ways, Italian, Poolish, Yeast Dough
 al rosmarino, baking, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flat Breads, Focaccia Recipe, Foccacia, Food Ways, Italian
Cuisine, Italy, Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Poolish, Preferment, Rosemary, Rosemary Focaccia,
Rosemary Focaccia Recipe, Yeasted Dough

 Alejandro Ramon  209 comments

 Fresh Peach Pie Smoked Brisket – Central Texas Style 

209 thoughts on “Focaccia al Rosmarino”

Maria
January 17, 2023 at 11:42 AM

Hola! Es la 2nda vez que intento esta focaccia, la primera vez me quedo muy inflada y con textura
como de pan (utilicé Dry Yeast y All Purpose Flour), para esta segunda vez lo hice con la misma
harina (no es unbleached, porque creo que no se consigue en mi pais) pero con Instant Yeast,
amasé por unos 15 minutos, pero seguia MUY pegajosa, la deje reposando 30minutos segun lo que
lei en otros comentarios pero al sacarla seguia igual de pegajosa vivo en las montañas de Costa
Rica, es un lugar muy humedo y frio (14-18grados C) que consejos me podrias dar?

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MED
May 1, 2022 at 4:42 PM

Ciao! Your recipe is very detailed and the foccacia in the pics look mouth watering. I have one
question though. Would really appreciate it if you can clarify it for me. Can I use active dry yeast
instead of instant yeast? will this change the way the recipe would turn out? Also, should I change
any measurement if I use active dry yeast?

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Alejandro Ramon
November 14, 2022 at 11:30 AM

Hello MED, It is nice to meet you. I appreciate you waiting for my response. Yes, you can
use Active Dry Yeast in any bread recipe. You’d want to use double the amount and make
sure to fully hydrate the Active Dry Yeast with water from the recipe that is between 90℉
to 110℉ (32℃ to 43℃) before adding it to the poolish or final dough. I’d love to hear about
your baking adventure when you make the focaccia. Thank you so much for taking the
time to write and ask your question. Happy Baking!

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Ana
April 8, 2022 at 6:21 PM

Hello! Your recipe is so detailed and focaccia looks marvelously delicious.

Is there any problem if I let the dough rest for more than 1 hour? is there a maximum time?
Also, in the comments you mentioned that temperature plays a role in proofing. Where I live,
ambient temperature is 27-33 degrees Celsius. Is there something I should make different
regarding this?

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Alejandro Ramon
April 17, 2022 at 11:42 AM

Hello Ana,

It is nice to meet you. I appreciate you waiting for my response. You can extend the
fermentation of the dough by refrigerating the dough. This is known in baking terms as
“retarding” the dough. Bakers use this technique to manage dough and to develop flavor
in yeasted doughs.

The ambiance temperature of your home will ferment the dough quicker than what is
described in the recipe timeline. I have found it best to look for the dough to grow to 1-1/2
times its original size to move to the next step.

I’d love to hear about your baking adventures and results when you make your focaccia.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write and ask your questions. Have a great day
and Happy Baking!

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