In my search to find an easy but tasty focaccia bread recipe was the recurring mention of baking in a cast iron skillet. Genius! I have my grandmother’s skillet and I thought it would be a great way to use it. The skillet evidently had the handle break at some point in time but it was welded back on. I think the little repair makes it even more endearing. I researched the skillet and it appears to have been made sometime between the 1920s and 1940s. I love that a little bit of history is involved making something tasty. Here are photos of the skillet. It also has a self-basting skillet cover for recipes that require one. This recipe, however, does not.
When you go to bake the bread, be sure to not over bake it. It’s easy to do, especially if you’ve made it somewhat thin and have deep “dimples”. Just check it after 15 minutes to see if it is browning up a bit and slightly pulling away from the sides of the pan.
It’s amazing with a big bowl of soup. Or dipping into a tasty oil-based sauce.
Which brings me back to a memory from 2024. These are my two granddaughters, ages 5 and 3 at the time, making focaccia bread together with their mama (my daughter). It was a great way to have a special time creating something delicious together! And it was the beginning of the girls wanting to help me cook and be creative in the kitchen.
One-Hour Rosemary Focaccia Bread
10
servings40
minutes20
minutes1
hourIngredients
3/4 cup warm water: heat in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir — it should be just lukewarm
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons rapid rise yeast – 1/4 ounce package such as Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise
5-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour divided (plus more for shaping the dough)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan (optional)
1 clove garlic finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried), divided
flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
Directions
- Place the warm water and sugar in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can use an electric handheld mixer as well). Stir well to combine. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir just a bit. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Turn the mixer on low speed, and add 1 cup of the flour and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and mix just until combined. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil mix until combined. If using dried rosemary, you may add 1 teaspoon at this point.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour, then add just enough of the remaining 1/4 cup until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl (you may not need it all).
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Grease a cast iron skillet or 8 – 9″ cake pan with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil and put the skillet in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Using a hot pad, remove the pan from the oven and gently scrape the dough into the prepared skillet.
- Gently press the dough evenly into the bottom of the skillet and 1″ up the sides, then cover with a clean towel. TURN OFF THE OVEN and place the skillet in the oven for 20 minutes to rise.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and remove the towel. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, garlic, chopped rosemary, and parmesan if using.
- Brush the olive oil mixture over the focaccia bread dough, then make indents over the top of the dough with your thumb.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven, and brush with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and flaky sea salt, if desired. Cool slightly on a wire rack and enjoy!
