Tulo

All-Purpose Flour Focaccia Recipe

All-purpose flour has less protein than bread flour or 00 flour, which means less gluten development and a softer, more tender crumb, exactly the texture that makes good focaccia pillowy rather than chewy like a baguette. Because the dough is mixed by hand with a spatula and never kneaded, that lower protein content is actually an advantage here: the dough stays slack and easy to stretch to the edges of the pan without fighting back.

Prep
20 min
Cook
22 min
Total
180 min
Servings
8

Ingredients

Servings8
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110°F)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, for topping

Nutrition per serving

Calories
352
Protein
7g
Carbs
48g
Fat
14g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand 5-10 minutes, until the surface looks foamy.
  2. 2Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture and stir with a spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. There's no need to knead it smooth.
  3. 3Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
  4. 4Pour 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil into a 9x13-inch baking pan and spread it to coat the bottom and sides completely.
  5. 5Turn the dough out into the pan and use oiled hands to stretch it gently toward the corners. It will resist and spring back at first. Cover loosely and let it rest 15 minutes.
  6. 6Stretch the dough again to fill the corners of the pan, then cover and let it rise a second time for 30-45 minutes, until visibly puffy.
  7. 7Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) while the dough finishes its second rise.
  8. 8Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dough, then press your fingertips straight down all the way to the bottom of the pan, spacing dimples about an inch apart across the entire surface.
  9. 9Sprinkle with the rosemary and flaky salt, then bake for 20-25 minutes, until deeply golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads about 200°F (93°C).
  10. 10Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tips & variations

  • Swap up to 1 cup of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour for a nuttier crumb; the dough will take slightly longer to rise.
  • Top the dimpled dough with thin tomato slices, pitted olives, or thinly sliced red onion before baking for a heartier version.
  • A dark metal pan gives a crisper, more browned bottom crust than a glass baking dish, which tends to bake focaccia paler.
  • Refrigerate the dough after the first rise (step 3) for up to 24 hours instead of letting it rise at room temperature; the slower, cold fermentation deepens the flavor. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To freeze, wrap individual squares in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen or at room temperature in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8-10 minutes to recrisp the crust; microwaving makes it tough.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Confirm the yeast is still active before committing the rest of the ingredients: if the water, yeast, and sugar mixture hasn't foamed within 10 minutes, the yeast is dead and the dough won't rise properly.
  • Weigh the flour on a kitchen scale rather than scooping with a measuring cup. Scooping straight from the bag can pack in up to 20% more flour than intended, which makes the dough stiff and the finished focaccia dense.

FAQ

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

Yes, and it will produce a chewier, more open-holed crumb because of its higher protein content. All-purpose flour gives a softer, more tender bite that many people actually prefer for focaccia, so it's not a downgrade, just a different texture.

Why use all-purpose flour instead of Italian 00 flour?

00 flour is milled extremely fine and is traditional for pizza and some focaccia, but it isn't stocked in most home pantries and behaves differently with hydration. All-purpose flour is more forgiving with water ratios and produces a very similar soft crumb without needing a specialty ingredient.

Why is my focaccia dense or flat instead of airy?

The most common cause is underproofed dough, either the yeast wasn't fresh or the kitchen was too cool for a full rise. Give both rises the full time range listed and look for the dough to visibly double or turn puffy rather than going by the clock alone.

Can I make the dough the night before?

Yes. After the first rise, cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours instead of shaping it right away. Let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before stretching it into the pan.

More recipes