Focaccia ligure

Mix and knead

In a large bowl, stir the flour, yeast and salt together, then add the lukewarm water and 40 ml of the olive oil. Mix until it comes together, then knead on a lightly floured surface for about 8 minutes. The dough should be soft, a little sticky and stretchy, not stiff: a wet dough is what gives focaccia its open, airy crumb.

• 500 g flour
• 350 ml lukewarm water
• 7 g yeast
• 12 g fine salt
• 40 ml olive oil

✅ C'est prêt quand : the dough is smooth, elastic and springs back slowly when poked

First rise

Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size.

✅ C'est prêt quand : the dough has visibly doubled and feels light and puffy

Oil the pan and stretch

Pour the remaining 30 ml of olive oil onto a 33 x 23 cm (13 x 9 in) baking tray and spread it with your hands so the whole surface is coated. Tip the dough onto the tray and gently stretch and press it with oiled fingers to fill the tray, without punching out all the air. Cover loosely and let it rest.

• 30 ml olive oil

✅ C'est prêt quand : the dough has relaxed and fills the tray evenly, with no springing back

Dimple deeply

Dip your fingertips in a little olive oil and press them straight down into the dough, almost to the bottom of the tray, all over the surface. These deep dimples are the signature of focaccia: they trap pockets of oil and brine, which is what makes the crumb so moist and the little craters so golden.

✅ C'est prêt quand : the dough is covered edge to edge with deep, evenly spaced dimples

Brine, salt and second rise

Whisk the water for the brine with the coarse sea salt until mostly dissolved, then pour it evenly over the dough so it pools in the dimples. Scatter the rosemary leaves on top. Let the dough rise again, uncovered, until visibly puffy.

• 100 ml water
• 10 g coarse sea salt
• 2 tbsp rosemary leaves

✅ C'est prêt quand : the dough looks bubbly and has risen further, with the brine mostly absorbed

Bake until golden

Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C (428°F), on the lower-middle shelf, until deeply golden all over and the surface looks blistered and shiny.

✅ C'est prêt quand : the top is golden brown and the base feels crisp when lifted with a spatula

Finish and serve

As soon as it comes out of the oven, drizzle a little more olive oil over the top so it soaks into the hot crust. Let it cool for a few minutes on a rack, then cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

• to taste olive oil, to drizzle