J Dub’s Focaccia with Kalamata Olives and Rosemary is the easiest bread for beginners.

You can not mess this bread up.

And, it provides the wow for your friends and family. You have crunch on both the top and bottom and perfect little air pockets throughout.

Trust me….. you can bake this bread.

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Focaccia with Kalamata Olives and Rosemary on serving board - J Dub By Design™

J Dub’s Focaccia with Kalamata Olives and Rosemary


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water (567.5 ml)
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 5 cups bread flour (660 gams)
  • 5 teaspoons Red Diamond kosher salt (I do not recommend regular salt)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • Kalamata Olives (30-40 approximately, depending on number of dimples)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 9 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Rosemary sprigs
  • Kalamata olives

Instructions

  1. Whisk yeast into warm water with honey.   Allow to sit 5 minutes until it starts to foam and bubble around the edges.
  2. Add flour and kosher salt.  Mix with your hands until shaggy dough is formed. (This means mix with your hands only until you can not see any flour streaks in the dough).
  3. Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil into bottom of stainless steel bowl.
  4. Add dough to bowl and use your hands or a spatula to turn dough and cover completely with oil.
  5. Cover the dough and place in refrigerator allow to rise overnight.  This step is crucial.
  6. Remove dough from fridge.
  7. Pour 3 Tablespooons of oil into the bottom of a rimmed (9 X 13) cookie sheet.  You can also grease the cookie sheet with butter before pouring in the oil.  This makes it even better, but sometimes I forget.
  8. Swirl olive oil around cookie sheet to cover it.
  9. Transfer dough to pan.
  10. Now, you will shake the pan to stretch the dough out.
  11. Once the dough is in the shape of a loose disc, take the left side and fold it to the right.  Then take the right side and fold it to the left.  Next, take the top of the dough and fold it down towards the bottom.  Then pick up the bottom and fold it towards the top.
  12. Pour any oil remaining in the stainless steel bowl over the dough.
  13. Cover the cookie sheet with another greased rimmed cookie or a piece of greased parchment paper.
  14. Let the dough rise in a warm area until double in size – usually two to three hours.
  15. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  16. The dough, while rising, will usually find its way to the edges of the rimmed cookie sheet.  If it has not, gently shake the pan to stretch and push the dough towards the edges.
  17. Dimple the focaccia with your fingers
  18. Sprinkle with more olive oil. (Approximately 2-3 tablespoons)
  19. Place olives in all of the dimples.
  20. Brush your rosemary sprigs with additional olive oil and place randomly on bread.  Brushing with olive oil keeps the springs from burning in the oven.
  21. Bake the focaccia on the bottom rack in your oven until puffed and golden, approximately 20 minutes.  By baking on the bottom rack, you get the crispiest crust.
  22. Remove from the baking sheet immediately so that the bottom crust does not steam in the pan.
  23. Place the loaf on a wire rack on top of another cookie sheet.
  24. Melt butter and grate garlic into the butter.
  25. Pour over bread before serving or place in individual serving dishes so that your guests can dip the bread on their own.

Notes

  • This bread is also wonderful omitting the olives and rosemary and just brushing with garlic butter at end of baking time.
  • If you are going to use regular table salt, cut the measurement in half.  Otherwise, the bread will be too salty.
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes (plus rising time)
  • Cook Time: 18-22 minutes
  • Category: breads
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: focaccia, kalamata olive and rosemary focaccia

Drop me a comment below and tell me what you think about my Focaccia with Kalamata Olives and Rosemary.

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Focaccia with Kalamata Olives and Rosemary on serving board - J Dub By Design™
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