Easy Focaccia Recipe (makes one 23x33cm tray)

  • 500g strong white bread flour (or plain flour)
  • 7g instant yeast (1 sachet)
  • 10g salt
  • 375ml warm water (not hot — should feel comfortable on your wrist)
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Flaky sea salt for the top
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional but classic)
  1. 1

    Mix the dough

    In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt (add salt and yeast on opposite sides — direct contact inhibits yeast). Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the warm water. Mix with a spoon or your hands until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. It should be wetter than bread dough — this is correct. Do not add more flour.

  2. 2

    Fold the dough every 30 minutes, 3 times

    Cover the bowl and leave for 30 minutes. Then perform a set of folds: grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward and fold it over the top. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat on all four sides. Cover and rest another 30 minutes. Repeat this process 3 times total over 1.5 hours. The dough becomes smoother and more elastic with each fold.

  3. 3

    Transfer to an oiled tray

    Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a 23x33cm baking tin and coat the base thoroughly. Transfer the dough — it will spread naturally. If it springs back and resists, let it rest 10 minutes and try again. Coat the top of the dough with another tablespoon of oil.

  4. 4

    Proof for 45 minutes to 1 hour

    Cover loosely and leave at room temperature until the dough has puffed noticeably — it should fill most of the tin.

  5. 5

    Dimple and top

    Preheat oven to 220°C. With oiled fingers, press firmly all over the dough creating deep dimples right to the base of the tray. This is the most satisfying step and crucial for the characteristic focaccia texture. Scatter rosemary sprigs and flaky salt generously over the top. Drizzle over the remaining tablespoon of oil.

  6. 6

    Bake 20–25 minutes until deep golden

    Bake until deep golden brown all over — not just lightly golden on top. The base should be crispy when you lift the edge. Rest 10 minutes in the tin before removing, then cool on a wire rack. Eat the same day for maximum crispiness.

Toppings beyond rosemary and saltHalved cherry tomatoes pressed in before baking. Sliced olives. Caramelised onions. Thinly sliced red onion with fresh thyme. Roasted garlic cloves. Grapes and walnuts (Venetian style). The options are endless — anything that can handle 25 minutes at 220°C works.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most commonly caused by: dough too stiff (it should be wet and sticky, not firm), yeast not active (check expiry date, water not warm enough), insufficient proofing time (give it longer, especially in cold weather), or oven not hot enough. A wet dough and a fully hot oven are the two most important factors for airy focaccia.
Yes — after the dough is in the oiled tin (step 3), cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. The slow cold proof develops more flavour. Remove from the fridge 1–2 hours before baking to come to room temperature, dimple, top and bake as normal. Cold-proofed focaccia often has better flavour than same-day focaccia.