Golden edges, a soft, airy centre and pockets of salty olives, this homemade focaccia is perfect for sharing. Finished with our Rosemary Extract, it’s delicious alongside soup, with a summer salad or simply enjoyed warm.
Makes: 1 focaccia, approximately 8 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Rising: 2–3 hours
Bake: 25–30 minutes
Suitable for vegans
Ingredients
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500g strong white bread flour
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7g fast-action dried yeast
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10g fine salt
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400ml lukewarm water
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5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
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120g pitted green or black olives, drained and halved
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½ tsp flaky sea salt, optional
For the rosemary finishing oil:
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¼ tsp Rosemary Extract
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1 tsp lukewarm water
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1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
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Make the dough. Mix the flour, yeast and fine salt in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm water and 2 tbsp olive oil, then stir until you have a sticky dough with no dry flour remaining.
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Fold and rise. Cover and rest for 10 minutes. With wet hands, lift one edge of the dough and fold it into the centre. Turn the bowl and repeat three more times. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1–2 hours, until roughly doubled in size.
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Prepare the tin. Coat a deep baking tin, approximately 23 × 33cm, with 2 tbsp olive oil. Transfer the dough into the tin and gently stretch it towards the edges. If it springs back, rest for 10 minutes before stretching again.
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Let it rise again. Cover loosely and leave for 45–60 minutes, until puffy. Towards the end of this time, preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas mark 7.
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Add the olives. Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over the dough. Press your fingertips deeply into it to create dimples, then gently press in the olives. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using.
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Bake. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the final few minutes.
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Finish with rosemary. Stir the Rosemary Extract into the teaspoon of lukewarm water, then mix with the tablespoon of olive oil. Let the focaccia cool for about 10 minutes before brushing the mixture evenly over the top.
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Slice and enjoy. Remove from the tin and place on a wire rack. Serve warm, cut into generous squares.
A little tip
Olives bring plenty of salt, so you can skip the flaky salt topping. For a stronger rosemary flavour, increase the extract in the finishing oil to ½ tsp for the whole loaf.
