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Bake & Provisions · Bread

Rosemary focaccia

Focaccia is the bread we hand to people who are afraid of bread. No shaping, no scoring, no special equipment — just a wet dough, a generous amount of olive oil, and time. Dried rosemary from the pantry works beautifully here; this is exactly what those hanging bundles are for.

Step by step

  1. Step 1

    Mix a wet dough

    500g bread flour, 400g warm water, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 10g salt. Stir with a spoon until no dry flour remains. It will look like a shaggy, sticky mess — that is correct. Do not add more flour.

  2. Step 2

    Rest, then fold three times

    Cover and rest 30 minutes. With a wet hand, fold the dough over itself four times around the bowl. Repeat every 30 minutes, three sets total. The dough will transform from sticky to smooth and buoyant without any kneading.

  3. Step 3

    Let it rise until puffy

    Cover and leave at room temperature 1 to 2 hours, until roughly doubled and full of bubbles. In a cold Maine kitchen this runs long — judge by the dough, not the clock. For deeper flavor, refrigerate overnight instead and bake the next day.

  4. Step 4

    Oil the pan like you mean it

    Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and coat it completely. Tip the dough in and coax it toward the corners with oiled fingers. If it resists, walk away for 15 minutes and try again — tight dough relaxes on its own.

  5. Step 5

    Proof, dimple, and dress

    Cover and proof 45 minutes to an hour, until visibly puffy. Pour another 2 tablespoons of oil over the top, then press all ten fingers straight down to the pan, making deep dimples. Scatter the rosemary and a good pinch of flaky salt over the whole surface.

  6. Step 6

    Bake hot

    450°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden with crisp edges. Slide it onto a rack within five minutes so the bottom stays crisp. Cool at least 15 minutes before cutting — the interior needs a moment to set.

If it goes sideways

A dense focaccia was under-proofed or the yeast was old — the dough should look alive and wobbly going into the oven. A pale top means the oven ran cool or it needed another five minutes. A soggy bottom sat in the pan too long after baking. Leftovers reheat beautifully at 375°F for 8 minutes, which is rarely needed information.

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