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Italian Focaccia Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 96 reviews

This Italian Focaccia recipe delivers a golden, crispy crust with a soft, airy interior, enriched with flavorful gruyère cheese, fresh thyme, and sea salt flakes. Perfect as a savory snack or accompaniment, this focaccia incorporates a well-hydrated dough enriched with extra virgin olive oil, baked to perfection for a delightful texture and aroma.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough

  • 6 1/4 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
  • 2 cups warm water (105°F – 115°F or 40°C – 46°C)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 teaspoons fine sea salt

For the Topping

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more for greasing the sheet pan)
  • 1/4 cup room temperature water
  • 7 ounces gruyère cheese (sliced into small cubes)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt flakes

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dough: Combine bread flour and instant dry yeast in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook on medium-low speed. Slowly add warm water in three batches, allowing flour to fully absorb water before adding more.
  2. Add Sugar: Mix in the granulated sugar thoroughly to the dough.
  3. Incorporate Olive Oil: Gradually pour extra virgin olive oil in four batches into the dough, mixing on medium-low speed, allowing full absorption. Use a silicone spatula to fold the dough occasionally to help the oil blend evenly. Add fine sea salt and continue mixing until the oil is fully absorbed.
  4. Knead the Dough: Increase mixer speed to high and knead until a popping sound is heard and the dough wraps around the hook, about 1-2 minutes. The dough should be smooth but sticky.
  5. First Rise: Shape the dough into a tight ball, place in an oiled bowl three times its size, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free environment until tripled in size.
  6. Prepare the Pan and Stretch Dough: Generously oil a 12 x 18 inch light-colored sheet pan. Transfer the dough to the pan and let gravity naturally stretch it to the edges. Rest for 10 minutes if dough retracts, then stretch again as needed.
  7. Mix Topping Liquid: Whisk together 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil until blended.
  8. Create Dough Dimpling and Add Toppings: Use fingertips to make indentations on the focaccia dough surface. Pour the oil-water mixture evenly over the dough. Scatter cubed gruyère cheese, fresh thyme leaves, and Maldon sea salt flakes on top.
  9. Second Proof: Cover sheet pan with plastic wrap and proof in a warm (75°F – 80°F or 24°C – 27°C), draft-free spot until tripled in size, approximately 60 minutes.
  10. Preheat Oven: Place oven rack in upper middle position and heat oven to 430°F (220°C).
  11. Bake Focaccia: Carefully remove plastic wrap without disturbing the dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the focaccia is golden brown and crispy on top.
  12. Cool: Transfer focaccia to a cooling rack and cover with a tea towel. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing from pan and slicing.
  13. Reheat (optional serving step): Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place focaccia slices on it. Bake for 18-20 minutes until heated through and crunchy on the outside.

Notes

  • Warm water temperature is critical for yeast activation—keep between 105°F and 115°F.
  • Use a light-colored sheet pan to prevent over-browning of the focaccia bottom.
  • Allowing the dough to rest if it pulls back during stretching improves final shape.
  • Gruyère cheese adds a rich, slightly nutty flavor; feel free to substitute with mozzarella or fontina if preferred.
  • Proofing times may vary based on ambient temperature; dough should triple in size both during first rise and second proof.
  • Use a tea towel to cover focaccia while cooling to keep the crust slightly tender.

Keywords: Italian focaccia, focaccia recipe, homemade focaccia, gruyère cheese bread, savory focaccia, olive oil bread, fresh thyme focaccia, easy focaccia

Find it online: https://cheframi.com/italian-focaccia-recipe/