Easy focaccia: a step-by-step recipe with olive oil and rosemary

For a 25 × 35 cm tray, use 500 g flour, 375 g water, 10 g salt, 4 g instant yeast and 20 g olive oil in the dough. Use approximately 25 g extra oil for the tray and 15 g for the top. This 75% hydration dough is soft: use wet or oiled hands and a scraper rather than adding large amounts of flour.

Ingredients and tray

• 500 g suitable wheat flour
• 375 g water
• 10 g salt
• 4 g instant yeast
• 20 g olive oil in the dough
• About 40 g additional oil for tray and top
• Rosemary and a little flaky salt to finish

Check the tray is suitable for 220°C. Choose a flour that can handle the dough's water; see Hungarian flour labels. This is a same-day recipe, not a multi-day fridge schedule.

Mix and fold gently

1. Combine dough ingredients until no dry flour remains.
2. Cover for 20 minutes.
3. With wet hands, lift and fold the sides towards the centre.
4. Repeat two more sets at roughly 20-minute intervals.
5. Let rise covered until expanded and aerated, often about 2–3 hours total near 22°C.

A wet dough becomes easier to handle as it rests and develops strength. Avoid tearing it in the attempt to make every fold tight.

Spread in the oiled tray

Oil the tray thoroughly, including corners. Transfer the dough and ease it outward. Rest covered for 15–20 minutes if it resists, then spread again.

Allow a final rise until the dough is visibly puffier and gently wobbles when the tray moves. This may take roughly 45–90 minutes, depending on temperature and how far the first rise progressed.

Dimple and top

Oil your fingertips and press down to make dimples while preserving much of the air. Drizzle the top oil and add rosemary with a restrained amount of salt.

For cherry tomatoes, use modest quantities and consider draining cut pieces. Heavy wet topping can make the centre gummy. Do not cover the dough so completely that you cannot see it.

Bake until the centre is set

Preheat the oven to 220°C conventional heat. Bake approximately 22–30 minutes on a middle to lower-middle shelf, adjusting for tray and oven. Look for a golden top, browned underside and a cooked middle.

Rest briefly, then move to a rack where practical so the bottom does not sit in steam. Let it cool before cutting if you want a clear crumb rather than a sticky hot slice.

What if it goes wrong?

A dense crumb may need more final proof or gentler handling. A dry result may have baked too long. Sticking suggests insufficient tray oil, an unsuitable tray or trying to remove it too early.

Use the dough and baking diagnosis for related principles. A small olive oil jug can help controlled pouring, but scales keep recipe quantities repeatable. Explore pizza accessories for useful handling and serving tools.

Try tray pizza next, or return to the pizza guide and Dutch oven bread for another dough project.