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4.64 from 30 votes

Olive and Herb Focaccia

Olive and Herb Focaccia is super easy to make from scratch! Crusty on the outside & soft in the inside. Topped with olive oil, herbs & olives!
Prep Time9 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time9 hours 35 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Kathryn Donangelo

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water (100 degrees F)
  • 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Ingredients for crust of focaccia

  • 1/4 tsp. fresh or dried rosemary; chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. dried basil
  • 1/4 tsp. fresh or dried oregano; chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. fresh or dried thyme; chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil; divided
  • 1/4 cup kalamata and or green olives; chopped

Instructions

  • Mix together warm water, yeast and sugar until frothy. Let sit for 3 minutes. 
  • In a large glass bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until dough forms. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 8 hours or up to overnight. 
  • Remove from fridge and drizzle an 8-inch cake pan with ½ Tbsp. oil and place the dough in the center. Stretch the dough to cover the pan. Let dough rise for 1 hour on the counter. 
  • Once dough has risen, heat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine all of the herbs and seasoning in a small bowl. Drizzle the top with remaining oil and press the bottom of a wooden spoon or your finger down all around the bread to create dimples. Sprinkle with herbs and chopped olives. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Enjoy! 

Notes

  1. Activating the yeast properly is extremely important because if your yeast isn't active, your bread won't rise. In step #1, once you combine the warm water, yeast and sugar the yeast should start to fizz and you can smell the activation of the yeast. You may also see tiny bubbles. That will indicate that your yeast is good to use! 
  2. It's also crucial that you use warm water to activate the yeast, the water can't be too cold or too hot, warm water is about 120 degrees F.
  3. Yeast will last in the refrigerator for about 3-4 months after opening. If you are unsure about how old your yeast it- test it out by activating it with warm water and sugar to see if it fizzes. Unopened dry yeast will last about 6 months in the pantry or a cool area.