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Crusty Focaccia With Olives Recipe

olive focaccia

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This amazing olive-studded focaccia is easy to make with a stand mixer, and it’s ready in about 2 hours! Kalamata olives and a bit of fresh Parmesan cheese make it an impressive bread everyone will love!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/4 cups (283 grams) warm water, about 105 F to 110 F
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 3 1/4 cups (398 grams) bread flour 14 ounces
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon table salt

Toppings

  • Kalamata olives (about 15 tp 20, halved)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture stand for about 8 minutes or until foamy.
  2. Add the bread flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Attach the dough hook and knead the mixture for about 8 minutes. The dough will be sticky—use a bowl scraper to scrape it off the bottom of the bowl occasionally. If necessary, add a bit more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl or container; cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. It should more than double in that amount of time.
  3. Using an oiled bowl scraper, fold the risen dough over on itself 4 times, turning the bowl 1/4-turn each time. Let the dough rest for another 15 minutes.
  4. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a 9-inch square baking pan. If the pan isn’t nonstick, butter it or line it with a sheet or parchment paper before you add the oil.
  5. Let the dough rise in the pan for 30 minutes. With oiled fingertips, dimple the loaf all over. Arrange halved kalamata olives in the dimples. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of flaky sea salt and a few grinds of coarse black pepper. Drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil.
  6. Bake for about 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown.
  7. Remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the hot bread and cool completely before slicing or tearing.