There are some recipes that feel almost too good to be true. Soft on the inside, golden and slightly crisp on the outside, fragrant with olive oil and fresh rosemary — and made with ingredients you very likely already have at home. This Summer Focaccia is exactly that recipe.
I have been meaning to make this for the longest time. There is something about focaccia that feels fancy and approachable all at once. It is bread, but it does not feel like bread. It is a snack, a side, a showstopper. You can eat it warm straight from the tray, pair it with soup, use it as a base for a sandwich, or simply tear it apart with people you love.
This is a no-fuss, one-bowl recipe that requires patience more than skill. The dough is soft and sticky — do not fight it, that is what makes the focaccia so pillowy and light.
Why This Recipe Works
Focaccia is all about the dough hydration and the double proof. The dough for this recipe is deliberately wet and sticky — more so than a regular bread dough. That moisture is what gives the final focaccia its signature open crumb and pillowy softness.
The first proof lets the yeast do its work properly and develop flavour. The second proof, after the dough is spread into the tin, lets it relax and rise again so you get that lovely height and lightness. And the olive oil — both in the dough and generously on top before baking — creates that gorgeous golden crust and prevents the bread from drying out.
Finally, the poke holes. Do not skip this. Pressing your fingers deep into the dough before it goes in the oven is not just aesthetically pleasing — it creates little pools of olive oil that bake into the bread and keep every bite moist and flavourful.
What Makes It Special
I used Urban Platter’s pizza flour for this, and it made a real difference. Pizza flour has a slightly higher protein content than regular all-purpose flour, which gives the dough more structure and chew. If you cannot find pizza flour, a strong bread flour works beautifully too.
Fresh rosemary is non-negotiable here. The aroma it releases in the oven is something else entirely — it fills your kitchen and tells everyone something wonderful is happening. Dried rosemary just does not give you the same result. And a good quality extra virgin olive oil will make the focaccia taste far more complex and interesting than a regular cooking oil ever could.
The yeast activation step — warm water, a pinch of sugar, eight minutes of patience — is the foundation of a great loaf. If your yeast does not foam and activate in that time, start fresh. Baking with dead yeast is the single most common reason focaccia does not rise.
How I Served It
Warm, with a drizzle of butter the moment it comes out of the oven. That is the way. The butter melts right into the crust and you end up with something that is honestly hard to stop eating.
That said, this focaccia is incredibly versatile. Serve it alongside a bowl of roasted tomato soup and you have a proper meal. Toast a slice and load it with avocado and crumbled feta for a next-level snack. Or slice it horizontally and use it as the base for the most flavourful sandwich you have ever made.
It also keeps surprisingly well — wrap it in foil and reheat at 150C for a few minutes the next day and it tastes almost freshly baked.
A Note on the Process
Bread baking rewards patience. The two proving stages are non-negotiable — they are what give focaccia its flavour and texture. If you are short on time, a slower cold prove overnight in the fridge actually develops even more depth of flavour. Just bring the dough to room temperature before baking.
Do not be alarmed by how wet the dough is when you first mix it. You are not making a mistake. The trick is to mix it with your hands or a spatula rather than trying to knead it the way you would a regular bread dough. Fold and stretch, rather than push and knead. It will come together beautifully.
This is the kind of bread that makes your home smell incredible and makes guests feel like you have been baking all day. The secret? It mostly bakes itself.
Give it a go and tell me in the comments — did you go classic rosemary or try a topping of your own?
