My soft, airy and chewy focaccia is studded with savoury sundried tomatoes, salty olives and fragrant rosemary.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in March 2010. The recipe remains the same but I’ve added new images and helpful content.
Very few things beat the smell of fresh bread coming out of the oven. I normally let my bread dough rise in the Instant Pot (because it’s just so quick and easy), but with the warm weather lately — and inspiration following a trip to Italy — this felt like the perfect recipe to revisit and share!
I've made a few focaccia recipes on here, like this red grape and goat cheese focaccia so I've decided to follow the same fool-proof recipe.
The only difference really I've made to this recipe is added more extra virgin olive oil because it adds so much more flavour and makes the top beautifully crisp.
This is a rustic Italian bread that’s all about flavour and texture — savoury, airy and golden on the edges. The focaccia dough is soft, manageable, and rises beautifully. With the right layering of Mediterranean flavours and plenty of EVOO, it's a bakery-style homemade focaccia with toppings. The base isn't soggy and the focaccia is perfectly chewy.
Oh yes, and my homemade sundried tomatoes prepped in the dehydrator just add the most incredible intense sunny, Italian flavour.
Upgrade it by using it as a base to prepare focaccia pizza. Yum!
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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📖 Recipe
Sundried Tomato, Olive and Rosemary Focaccia
Equipment
- oven
- 8"x 8" baking tin Tray
Ingredients
- 450 gram bread flour
- 1 teaspoon fast-action yeast
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 350 milliliters warm water
- 5 tablespoon olive oil plus more for greasing and drizzling
Topping
- sun-dried tomatoes roughly chopped
- pitted olives halved if large
- rosemary sprigs
- sea salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the 450 gram bread flour, 1 teaspoon fast-action yeast, 1 tablespoon caster sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir everything together with a spoon to evenly distribute the dry ingredients.
- Next, pour in the warm 350 milliliters warm water and stir until a sticky dough begins to form. You can switch to using your hands at this point, kneading it briefly until the dough comes together and starts to feel smoother. If you prefer using a stand mixer, mix on low for a minute or two—this dough doesn’t need extensive kneading.
- Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil into a clean bowl and turn the dough in the oil until coated. Shape it into a rough ball, cover the bowl tightly with clingfilm, and set it aside somewhere warm and draft-free until it doubles in size—this usually takes 1 to 2 hours. (Alternatively, you can proof the dough in an Instant Pot if preferred.)
- Once the dough has risen, lightly oil a baking tray and transfer the dough to it. Use your fingers to gently stretch the dough to fit the tray. Don’t worry if it doesn’t reach the edges perfectly—it will expand slightly during the second rise.
- Cover the tray with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise again for around 30 minutes. While that’s happening, preheat your oven to 220°C (Gas Mark 7 / 450°F).
- After the second rise, use your fingers to create dimples in the dough. Gently press sun-dried tomatoes, pitted olives, and rosemary sprigs into the top of the dough. Drizzle with more 5 tablespoon olive oil.
- Cover the tray loosely with foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, then continue baking for another 10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Take the focaccia out of the oven, season with a bit of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and let it cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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PKS says
What size baking tray? Can you explain more fully where the 5 tbsp olive oil are used?
Hayley Dhanecha says
Hi, I have used 8"x*" (20cmx20cm) square baking tray. The olive oil used in step 3 and 6.
Hope this helps.
Hayley x
Hayley Dhanecha says
I enjoy serving it warm with olive oil or soups, it always feels like such a comforting homemade bake.
Vineetha Sush says
Would love to visit Italy one day..its one of my dream destination.....
bread looks fabulous 🙂
Stephanie says
Hooray for google! Beautiful bread. Peace, Stephanie
Indian food recipes says
!Luks perfect&yum!
Shama Nagarajan says
delicious yummy bread..looks perfect
Latha says
My son is crazy about breads. Must try recipe. Bread looks awesome.
TREAT AND TRICK says
Perfectly bake foccacia, love your write up and nice click too...
Tina says
Sounds great and tempting.
ann low says
This looks so yummy. We have focaccia flour here and I only made once on my bread maker machine. Thanks for reminding.
Deepthi Shankar says
Italy is a lovely place, isn't it?? the bread looks awesome
Sunitha says
Nice.. looks very good.