A tray of lemon and rosemary focaccia brings a bright, fragrant note to the table. Thin lemon slices soften in the oven while rosemary scents the olive oil. The dough is deliberately sticky, so a bowl, a spatula and oiled hands do most of the work. Allow time for both rises and judge the dough by its volume rather than the clock alone.
Photo by Quin Engle / Unsplash. Serving suggestion. Presentation may vary.
TOPSIMPLE RECIPES · RECIPE CARD
Lemon and Rosemary Focaccia
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 7 g instant yeast
- 10 g fine salt
- 400 ml lukewarm water, about 30°C
- 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 small unwaxed lemon, scrubbed and sliced paper-thin, seeds removed
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Preparation
- Mix flour, yeast and fine salt in a large bowl. Add water and 20 ml oil. Stir for 2 minutes until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
- With wet hands, lift one edge of the dough and fold it over the centre. Repeat from all four sides. Cover and leave in a warm room for 75 minutes, or until roughly doubled. A cool kitchen may require longer.
- Coat a 23 × 33 cm metal baking tin with 20 ml oil. Transfer the dough and gently stretch towards the corners. If it resists, rest for 10 minutes before continuing. Cover and rise for about 45 minutes until puffy.
- Heat the oven to 220°C conventional / 200°C fan. Drizzle the remaining 20 ml oil over the dough. Press oiled fingertips down to make deep dimples. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer and scatter with rosemary and flaky salt.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until deeply golden and the base is crisp. Lift carefully onto a rack and cool for 15 minutes before cutting into 12 pieces.
Choosing the lemon
Use an unwaxed lemon with a relatively thin skin. Very thick pith can taste bitter, even after baking. Slice as thinly as possible with a sharp knife and remove every seed. The slices should sit on the surface rather than being buried in the dough. If your lemon is particularly large, use just enough slices to make a loose single layer. Overlapping thick slices can leave wet patches on the crust.
Working with a wet dough
This dough will not behave like a firm sandwich loaf dough. Adding flour until it feels dry changes the texture and makes it harder to stretch. Lightly wet your hands for folding, then oil them for handling in the tin. Folding builds strength without prolonged kneading. The first rise should leave the dough visibly inflated and bubbly around the sides of the bowl. If it barely changes, give it more time and check that the room is comfortably warm.
Getting a crisp base
A metal tin transfers heat more quickly than a thick ceramic baking dish. The oil beneath the dough encourages a lightly fried, golden base. Set the tin on the lower-middle oven shelf, leaving room for air to circulate. If the surface colours rapidly, move the tin down one shelf. Allow the bread to cool on a rack so steam can escape rather than condensing underneath it.
Serving and allergens
Cut into strips for sharing, serve beside soup, or split larger pieces for sandwiches. The lemon topping is especially good with simple vegetable dishes and soft cheese. This recipe contains wheat. Check the yeast packet for any additional allergen information. For a different homemade bread style, try our Moroccan khobz.
Storage and reheating
Once fully cool, keep airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm in a 180°C oven for 5–8 minutes to refresh the crust. Freeze individual pieces for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw wrapped, then unwrap and reheat. Avoid sealing the bread while warm, which traps moisture and makes the crust soft.
Common questions
A dense result often means the dough needed more rising time, particularly in a cool room. A pale base can indicate a thick baking dish or an oven shelf that is too high. For an overnight schedule, refrigerate the covered dough after the fold, then allow it to warm and become puffy in the oiled tin before topping. Cold dough stretches slowly, so allow extra time rather than forcing it.
Explore another recipe from our kitchen. homemade moroccan bread khobz.