Rosemary Focaccia Bread (small batch recipe) - Dessert for Two (2024)

Rosemary focaccia bread! How to make a small batch of focaccia in a quarter sheet pan. Easy focaccia recipe in just 2 hours.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread (small batch recipe) - Dessert for Two (1)

Hey! Hi. Hi! I've been eating a lot of bread. And I think it's related, but I'm feeling very happy these days.

It's a very good thing. The weather got cold again and so I sat in front of the oven, tore off large pieces of this homemade focaccia, and dunked it in excessive amounts of peppery olive oil. My fingers are greasy, but my belly is full. I love being well-fed.

I put a call outon instagrama few weeks agoasking forrecipe requests. After scanning the list several times (thank you guys so much), and noticed an overwhelming number of requests for small batch yeast breads.

Baking bread is one of my favorite things to do with a spare few hours in the kitchen. Working with yeast brings me joy. (Have you seen my small-batch cinnamon rolls?) It's magic in the kitchen! I'm so happy to tackle this request for you guys. There are quite a few breads on my list to make, but I wanted to start with something easy.

Something quick. Minimal effort, maximum reward. You know how I roll.

This is also how I roll:

Rosemary Focaccia Bread (small batch recipe) - Dessert for Two (2)

Rosemary Focaccia Bread (small batch recipe) - Dessert for Two (3)

Rosemary focaccia bread. You've had it, right? It's a rich dough made with olive oil and covered with herbs, and it's typically not more than 1" high. It's thicker than a flat bread, but not suitable for making a true bread loaf.

After 5 failed recipe attempts, I've decided that the reason focaccia doesn't rise veryhighis due to the copious amounts of olive oil. I also decided that the reason focaccia is so delicious is due to the copious amounts of olive oil.

Rosemary focaccia bread is the BEST sandwich bread, if you ask me. It's light and fluffy, and very easy to bite through. I love eating it simply dunked in olive oil, but I also love to make a salami, brown mustard, marinatedartichoke and pickled carrot sandwich with it (I'm not high maintenance, I swear).

Some people compare focaccia to pizza dough, but this is a comparison I don't understand. Pizza dough is thin and chewy; focaccia is soft and fluffy. If your pizza dough is fluffy, I don't think you're making pizza dough correctly. But that's just me. I think the comparison is referring to the Italian roots of both doughs.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread (small batch recipe) - Dessert for Two (4)

Rosemary is traditional on top of focaccia dough, and I have a heavy hand with it. I used the older, woodier tips of my rosemary plants, and I mention that because if you use young, tender rosemary leaves, it hasa tendency to stain your dough green. No big deal, really, but I don't like explaining to dinner guests why I'm serving green bread. I already have to explain so manythings, like why my child eats all of the food on her plate and then begs for yours too. And how is it possible that a child of her size puts away so much sauerkraut. Oh, and did I notice my baby has quite a large belly and is looking rather chunky today? Yes yes, and that's just how I like my babes.

We've strayed off course. Rosemary focaccia bread made in a quarter sheet pan (<--link to the one I use) for a smaller serving size. That's what you're here for today, correct?

Rosemary focaccia bread recipe notes:

  1. A quarter sheet pan sounds super fancy. It's not. It's basically half of a normal-sized sheet pan. If you don't have one, you can absolutely make this breadwith a regularsheet pan, but know that it will spread a bit more. Keep an eye on the edges while it bakes.
  2. Olive oil. Be generous and loving with it. Pour it in the dough, pour it liberally on the pan, and then lovingly brush it again when it comes out of the oven. It's the key here.
  3. Please make sure your yeast is fresh and alive. Wait a full 15 minutes to make sure it blooms in the warm water. If its alive, it will be very noticeablyfoamy. The most common failure with yeast bread is using water that is too hot, which kills the yeast. Don't be a murderer. Use slightly warm, not hot, water.
  4. I call for ½ cup of olive oil, which is 8 tablespoons total. You'll use ¼ cup in the actual dough, and then divide the remaining ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) between the pan and the top of the dough before baking. Easy, right?
  5. Can you double this recipe and make more? Honestly, guys, I have no idea. I spend my life scaling down recipes, so I don't turn around and then scale them back up. That would probably landme in the crazy house, you know? This recipe makes 9 generous pieces. Enough for 4 sandwiches (and a snack for the cook!)

I love you, and can't wait until our next yeast bread adventure!

Rosemary Focaccia Bread (small batch recipe) - Dessert for Two (5)

This focaccia would be awesome with artichokes and olive on top, too! If you love artichokes and olives, you've got to make my Mediterranean Pasta. This focaccia is a great side dish for it, also.

Yield: 9 pieces

Small Batch Focaccia

Rosemary Focaccia Bread (small batch recipe) - Dessert for Two (6)

Homemade focaccia bread with rosemary--small batch bread recipe.

Prep Time2 hours 15 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time2 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup barely warm water (105-110°F is ideal)
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus extra for sprinkling on top
  • ½ cup olive oil, divided use
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

  1. Place the warm water in a small bowl, and sprinkle the yeast and sugar on top. Stir to dissolve, and let sit for 15 minutes. At the end of 15 minutes, it should be very foamy and noticeably alive. It may even bubble as you stare at it!
  2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a mini stand mixer*, add the flour, salt, and half of the olive oil (¼ cup). Fit the dough hook attachment into the mixer, and turn it on briefly to mix the ingredients together.
  3. Pour the foamy yeast water into the flour mixture. Turn the mixer to medium and knead for 5 minutes. Stop and scrape the dough down every minute or so.
  4. At the end of 5 minutes, the dough may be slightly sticky, but that's fine.
  5. Flour a surface, and knead the dough for about 30 seconds--the stickiness will completely disappear.
  6. Grease a small bowl, and place the dough inside. Let rest in a warm place until it doubles in size, about an hour in my cold, drafty house by the oven.
  7. Pour two tablespoons of the remaining olive oil on a quarter sheet pan (measures 9 x 13 x 1"), and spread it evenly. Add the dough to the pan, and use your fingers to spread it to the corners of the pan. Try not to make too many holes, but some are okay.
  8. Brush the final 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top of the dough, and place in a warm place to rise again until doubles, about 1 hour again.
  9. Preheat the oven to 425.
  10. Sprinkle the rosemary on top of the dough, and sprinkle additional salt (coarse is fun here) on top.
  11. Bake the bread for 18-21 minutes, until it starts to turn a light golden brown.
  12. Immediately after baking, flip the bread onto a cooling rack (do not let it cool in the pan). Let it cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

*To make this without a stand mixer, knead by hand for 10 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 177Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 178mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g

Did you make this recipe?

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Rosemary Focaccia Bread (small batch recipe) - Dessert for Two (2024)

FAQs

What is the best flour to use for focaccia? ›

Flour - I used a mixture of bread flour and All-purpose flour (high grade or strong and plain if you're not in the US). Bread flour is slightly higher in protein than All-purpose, so gives the focaccia just a little more chew. I love the mix of both, but just AP flour works just fine too!

What type of pan is best for focaccia? ›

Because there is a greater edge-to-middle ratio when you bake focaccia in a loaf pan instead of a sheet pan (not to mention the loaf pan has higher sides), you're ensured a lot of crispy, cheesy bites.

Should focaccia be thin or thick? ›

Traditionally Tuscan focaccia is medium thick and medium soft but crispy on the outside. Salt and rosemary are its usual companions. However, throughout Tuscany you can also find a thin and crispy version as well thick and very soft. Tuscan panini with cheese and cold cuts often use focaccia for a base.

Is bread flour or regular flour better for focaccia? ›

Herb Oil – Made with olive oil, fresh or dry herbs, kosher salt, black pepper, and minced garlic. Bread Flour – Using bread flour gives the focaccia a chewy texture; you can substitute all-purpose flour without ruining the recipe, but your bread will be significantly lighter and missing that characteristic texture.

What killed my rosemary? ›

Rosemary plants need plenty of sun, at least half of the day (6 hours is a bare minimum). Rosemary plants have roots that don't like wet conditions. So, overwatering is one of the main reasons for root rot or loss of plant parts. Root rot eventually leads to the death of the plant.

Can you use parchment paper when baking focaccia? ›

Transfer the dough to the baking sheet: Place a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of a baking sheet for thinner focaccia or a 9x13 cake pan for thicker focaccia.

Should I use parchment paper for focaccia? ›

It's much better to have a great focaccia baked on parchment paper than to have your stuck focaccia torn apart while you're trying to remove it from its pan! One trick I like to employ is the use of “crinkled” parchment paper.

Can you let focaccia dough rise too long? ›

The longer you allow the dough to rise, the more air and spongey the bread will be. Overnight Dough: Proofing the dough for 9-14 hours overnight in the fridge is my preferred method, because of the slower fermentation. This process yields a better focaccia texture and taste.

Should you punch down focaccia dough? ›

After the first rise, many recipes call for the baker to deflate — or "punch down" — the dough. It's an important step: When the dough is punched down, the yeast cells are redistributed. They form a closer bond with the moisture and sugar, which aids fermentation and improves the second rise.

Can you use Pyrex for focaccia? ›

This recipe, originally from Alexandra Cooks has been our go-to focaccia recipe. A pyrex glass casserole dish is perfect for a thicker bread that can be sliced for making sandwhiches. If not preparing overnight, let the mixed dough rise at room temperature for about 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled.

What do you put on focaccia before baking? ›

Add toppings: A simple blend of fresh garlic, rosemary, thyme, and basil is a favorite, but I have plenty of focaccia topping suggestions listed below. No matter which topping you use, drizzle olive oil all over the surface. Bake: Bake until golden brown.

Why does focaccia need olive oil? ›

Now, focaccia uses plenty of olive oil, not only in the dough, but for kneading, proofing, in the baking pan, and on the bread's surface before baking. All this fat means the texture is light, moist and springy, the crust emerges golden and crisp, plus the center stays soft for days afterwards.

Is it okay to use bread flour for focaccia? ›

Use your favorite kind—I prefer extra virgin olive oil. Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour: I tested this focaccia with both and prefer the bread flour variety. Both are great, but bread flour has a higher protein content so it yields a chewier texture.

Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour for focaccia? ›

I love rosemary focaccia, so I use fresh rosemary, but you can try a different blend of herbs if you'd like to (or leave them out and just make garlic focaccia). Flour: All-purpose flour or bread flour is perfect for making focaccia bread.

What is the best flour for baking bread? ›

Wheat flour is unique in that it is the only flour that has a large amount of gluten which is important for structure and texture in baking bread.”

Why is my focaccia not fluffy? ›

Why is my focaccia not fluffy or chewy? It could be the type of flour you used. The best flour to use to make focaccia bread is bread flour which gives you fluffy baked bread. Or, it could also be because you did not knead the dough enough for the gluten to form a structure which can result in flat or dense bread.

References

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