Baking · Bread · Italian Cuisine · Vegetarian Recipes

Rosemary Sea Salt Focaccia (Focaccia al Rosmarino)

What Jessica Baked Next

Traditional Italian focaccia. Fluffy olive oil bread topped with fragrant rosemary and sea salt.

There really is nothing better than homemade bread. Freshly baked, it always tastes amazing. Focaccia is one of the bread recipes I make most often – baking it every week, usually at the weekends when I have more time. Sliced up it makes a brilliant light lunch or appetiser served as part of an antipasto. I’ve already shared a few focaccia recipes on the blog, but this time I wanted to share a basic rosemary focaccia. I love the simplicity of this bread, and of course the beautiful aromatic flavour.

I made this focaccia for a recipe test run a few weekends back. To say the least, it went down a treat and got devoured as quick as anything. With just four people in our household, it vanished pretty quickly soon after baking – which is definitely a great sign! Hands down this is my favourite focaccia recipe!

I kept the flavours very simple. Rosemary and sea salt is a classic focaccia topping and one of our favourites. We use homegrown rosemary, we took a cutting from the villa we stayed at a few years ago in Tuscany, we planted when we got home and ever since it has flourished, and produces enough rosemary for our culinary needs each year!

This focaccia starts with an olive oil bread dough. I use extra virgin olive oil which adds real depth of flavour, gives the bread that authentic taste and keeps it soft and fluffy. You can prepare the dough by hand (the traditional way) or use an electric mixer like I do. Both ways will work just as well, producing a fluffy and crisp focaccia.

You can top the focaccia with anything you like. Bake it until golden and then tear and dip into some good olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

 Ingredients:

500g strong white bread flour

7g (1 packet) fast action dried yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

50ml (3 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

300ml (1/2 pint) warm water – make sure it isn’t boiling

Toppings:

1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)

A few sprigs fresh rosemary

Course sea salt, for sprinkling

Method:

  1. In a large mixing bowl add the flour. Add the yeast to one side and the salt to the other. Add the sugar and then mix to combine.
  2. Mix together the water and oil and then add the flour. Using a wooden spoon mix together until a soft and sticky dough comes together. Then lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough by hand until smooth and elastic for 10 minutes. You can also knead the dough in an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment for 5 minutes.
  3. Once kneaded, lightly oil a bowl and add the dough. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size – this will take around an hour.
  4. When doubled in size lightly grease a baking tin (approx. 22cm x 32cm) with olive oil (1-2 tbsp). Add the dough and press out into the tin until even – it doesn’t need to look perfect! Cover the tray and again leave in a warm place until doubled in size. (45-60 minutes approx.)
  5. Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Press small holes into the dough with your fingertips. Poke the rosemary in the holes and scatter over the oregano and sea salt. Drizzle the focaccia with a little extra oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until risen and lightly coloured. Once the bread sounds hollow, remove from tin and cool on a wire rack. Slice up and enjoy anyway you like   Serve the focaccia dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It can be served both at room temperature and gently warmed in the oven. Both ways are delicious!

Note: The focaccia is best eaten on the day of making, but it will keep in a bread bag or airtight container for an extra day.

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Published by What Jessica Baked Next

Trained chef, food blogger and travel lover behind What Jessica Baked Next sharing recipes perfect for every occasion.

87 thoughts on “Rosemary Sea Salt Focaccia (Focaccia al Rosmarino)”

  6. This focaccia looks amazing, Jess! I haven’t made focaccia in such a long time…I need to fix that. Totally pinning this recipe to make…soon! 🙂

    Reply

  8. This focaccia is stunning Jessica! Rosemary is one of my favourite herbs. What a beautiful recipe, you are so talented!

    Reply

  10. Hi Jess, This is my first time here. We love Focaccia at home but I have never baked one myself. I usually just buy..my quest for a good recipe brought me here. I love your blog. Would love to give this recipe a try. I have a question though, what is strong white bread flour? Is that different from regular bread flour? Can I use White flour instead?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi! Thanks so much for your comment – I’m really happy you like my blog.
      Regarding the flour, strong white bread flour is very similar to regular bread flour – however it just has a higher gluten content and is best to use when making bread. You can definitely use just white flour for this recipe too. I reckon that would work just as well.
      Hope that helps! Enjoy the recipe, do let me know if you like it! 😀

      Reply

      1. Thank you Jess. I will look for strong white bread flour.. will let you know how it turns out!!

  13. Oh yum! Focaccia is one of my favourite things to bake at home! The only problem is, it is so delicious straight from the oven that I can easily eat like half a loaf! Yours looks smashing!

    Reply

  14. I love focaccia and yours looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing my lovey. I’ll have to try making my own soon! X

    Reply

  16. I NEED to make focaccia! Yours is giving me envy- delicious and perfectly cooked 🙂

    Reply

  25. This looks just perfect, Jess! Focaccia is fast becoming my favourite bread – I just love it toasted with a bit of olive oil and salt. I’ve been wanting to have a go at making my own for a while, so thanks for the recipe! 🙂

    Reply

  27. Words cannot describe how much I love focaccia bread. It is one of my most fond food memories of spending a semester in Italy. I seriously can’t wait to try this recipe. Pinning of course!

    Reply

  28. You are so right! Freshly baked bread is my kind of comfort food and definitely my guilty pleasure. It’s just so delicious! Especially foccachia. Really! Your foccachia looks amazing 😛

    Reply

  31. Homemade bread is THE best, I totally agree! And focaccia happens to be one of my favorites! But, focaccia PLUS rosemary AND sea salt? OMG, YES! LOOOOOOVE! I could eat this fresh from the oven, all by itself, for a meal! 🙂 Pinned! Cheers, girl!

    Reply

  32. I’ve just had a go at this focaccia today and it’ll be up on my blog tomorrow (linked to yours of course)! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe! It was my first time making focaccia and it was great to have it turn out so well 🙂

    Reply

  33. Agreed! Homemade bread really is the absolute best! I still have yet to make focaccia – which is so silly! Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs – I know I would love this!

    Reply
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  40. Hi Jess…where i live there’s nothing like strong wheat flour….what can I use instead? Also can you please tell me how to raise the yeast? Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi – you can substitute the strong white bread flour for regular plain/all-purpose flour. The yeast is mixed with all the dough ingredients which are listed in the recipe. As the dough is left the yeast will start working and the dough will rise.

      Reply
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    1. Hi Deanna – I’m not entirely sure how it would turn out as I’ve never tried doing this myself. You can rise the dough overnight in the fridge, this will prevent over-fermentation and the bread will have even better flavour. Presumably you’ve already made the dough, if so at this point leave the dough in the fridge overnight then once you’re thinking of baking it you’ll want to spread the dough out into the baking tin and then leave it out at room temperature for 2-3 hours or until it’s doubled in size. After this continue to follow the recipe method. Hope that answers you question, let me know how you get on and whether you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

      Reply

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