There is something holy about bread you tear with your hands. No knife, no ceremony — just a warm loaf set in the middle of the table and the quiet permission to reach in and take a piece. This focaccia is that kind of bread. It asks almost nothing of you, and it gives back a golden, dimpled, rosemary-scented welcome that makes a kitchen smell like Sunday.
If you have never made bread, start here. It is nearly impossible to ruin, and it does not need to be perfect to be received with joy. Come as you are, flour on your hands and all.
What you’ll need
- 4 cups (500g) all-purpose or bread flour
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 cups warm water
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan and top
- 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Flaky salt, for finishing
How to make it
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, and fine sea salt. Add the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and mix with a spoon until you have a shaggy, sticky dough. No kneading needed.
- Cover the bowl and let it rise somewhere warm until doubled and bubbly, about 1 to 2 hours. (For the best flavor, let it rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight, then bring it to room temperature before baking.)
- Generously oil a 9×13-inch pan. Scrape the dough in and gently stretch it toward the corners. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and dimple the surface all over with your fingertips.
- Tuck small sprigs of rosemary into the dimples and scatter with flaky salt. Let it rest and puff for another 30 to 45 minutes.
- Bake at 425°F for 22 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden. Let it cool just enough to handle — then set it in the middle of the table and let everyone tear off their own piece.
Makes one 9×13 loaf — enough for a full table, with a corner piece left for whoever wanders into the kitchen first.
Break it with someone this week. There is always room for one more at the table.
The Sacred Table Co. 