This is only half of the bread. We devoured the other half both at dinner and then again at 2 am.
The title, in my mind, deserves not one, not two, but three exclamation points. I often get very excited when I successfully make anything with dough, as I do tend to struggle with breads and pie crusts. I get cold sweats and the shakes at the thought of "kneading until smooth".
- 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus additional 1/2 cup for kneading
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- Special equipment: a standing electric mixer with paddle attachment and dough hook
Stir together 1 2/3 cups lukewarm (105 to 115°F) water and yeast in bowl of mixer and let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups flour, 1/4 cup oil, and 2 1/2 teaspoons table salt and beat with paddle attachment at medium speed until a dough forms. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead dough at high speed until soft, smooth, and sticky, 3 to 4 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time adding up to 1/2 cup. Knead dough until smooth (no more than three or four minutes - it will still be slightly sticky), then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and turn dough to coat with oil. Let rise, covered with plastic wrap, at warm room temperature, until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Press dough evenly into a generously oiled 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan. Let dough rise, covered completely with a kitchen towel, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 500°F.
Stir together rosemary and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Make shallow indentations all over dough with your fingertips, then brush with rosemary oil, letting it pool in indentations. Sprinkle sea salt evenly over focaccia and bake in middle of oven for 7 minutes at 500 degrees F. Lower heat to 475 and bake for an additional 14 minutes, until the top of bread is golden brown.
Immediately invert a rack over pan and flip focaccia onto rack, then turn right side up. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Congratulations! It looks great! Focaccia has been on my to-do list forever. I tried it once and the results were disastrous so I've been hesitant to make it since...
Posted by: Tracey | March 19, 2009 at 09:35 AM
I love Rosemary in anything I can't wait to try this bread thanks for sharing your recipe.
Posted by: Lynette | March 19, 2009 at 10:24 AM
It looks really good! You were up at 2 am? I don't know how you do it. I am a morning person! I will have to try this recipe!
Posted by: Maria | March 19, 2009 at 10:30 AM
Sounds delicious with rosemary!
Posted by: Natasha - 5 Star Foodie | March 19, 2009 at 10:46 AM
That looks like some amazing focaccia!
Posted by: Katrina | March 19, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Homemade focaccia is so delicious and easy. Now you'll start making it again and again. Your focaccia looks wonderful.
Posted by: Wendy | March 19, 2009 at 12:46 PM
That looks like some good focaccia. So simple and beautiful!
Posted by: The Wind Attack | March 19, 2009 at 01:49 PM
Your bread looks so good!
Posted by: Ivette | March 19, 2009 at 06:17 PM
oh I think I can smell it through the screen ... I totally believe you when you say you "devoured" it. I'd go cave-man on it too, if I were you.
Posted by: Muneeba | March 19, 2009 at 09:50 PM
This looks worthy of every exclamation point (or even emoticon) that you want to throw at it. I LOVE foccacia, and rosemary foccacia is my favorite. Perfect for those 2 a.m. munchies!
Posted by: Cathy | March 19, 2009 at 09:53 PM
this looks awesome, teanna! i love rosemary foccacia--and it's simple and fun to make, isn't it?!?
Posted by: dharmagirl | March 20, 2009 at 05:25 PM
!!!!!!!!! What else could I possibly say? I can see why you're so thrilled with the end result (and why we're lucky to have seen at least one half of this focaccia). I'm definitely making this!
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Posted by: Rerto Jordans | June 19, 2010 at 09:02 PM
That looks like some amazing focaccia!
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