Olive Focaccia

**This recipe was featured as part of the 2025 New Release Wine & Food Pairing Event**

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 3 tsp Kosher salt
  • 3 1/2 cups tepid water
  • 4 tbsp olive oil, plus more for finishing
  • 2 cups pitted green olives, drained
  • Course sea salt for finishing

DIRECTIONS

  1. Put the flour into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add three-quarters of the water and begin mixing on slow speed. As the dough starts to come together, gradually add the remaining water.
  2. Mix for a further 5-8 minutes on a medium speed. The dough should now be wet and stretch easily when pulled. Add the olive oil and mix for a further two minutes. Add the olives and mix until well-distributed.
  3. Put the dough into the oiled containers and leave until they have at least tripled in size – approximately an hour.
  4. Line half sheet pan with baking parchment or silicone paper and preheat the oven to 425F.
  5. Dust the work surface heavily with flour. Rather than knocking the dough back, handle it gently so that you keep as much air in the dough as possible.
  6. Stretch it out gently on a half sheet pan.
  7. Brush top with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
  8. Allow to rest for approximately 10 minutes.
  9. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.