Zaatar Olive Focaccia Bread (Printable Format)

Fluffy focaccia featuring zaatar spice, olive oil, and briny Kalamata olives for a Mediterranean touch.

# What's Needed:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
03 - 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
04 - 1⅓ cups warm water (104°F)
05 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

→ Topping

06 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons zaatar spice blend
08 - ⅔ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
09 - 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

# How To Make It:

01 - Dissolve active dry yeast in warm water and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together bread flour and fine sea salt.
03 - Add yeast mixture and ¼ cup olive oil to dry ingredients; mix until a shaggy dough forms.
04 - Knead on a lightly floured surface or with a stand mixer dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
05 - Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
06 - Oil a large baking sheet or 9x13-inch pan. Punch down dough and press it evenly into the pan.
07 - Cover and allow dough to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
08 - Set oven temperature to 425°F.
09 - Dimple dough surface deeply with fingers. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over top, then sprinkle zaatar, scatter olives, and finish with flaky sea salt.
10 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and crisp on edges.
11 - Allow to cool slightly, then slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you've been baking for years, but it actually comes together in just over two hours.
  • The zaatar and olives transform a simple focaccia into something that tastes like a Mediterranean bakery lived in your oven.
  • One loaf disappears faster than you'd expect, whether you serve it warm or slice it cold the next day.
02 -
  • Water temperature matters more than you'd think; if it's too cold, the yeast wakes up sluggishly and your rise takes twice as long, if it's too hot, you'll kill the yeast entirely and end up with dense, yeastless bread.
  • Don't skip the second rise—that thirty minutes of sitting in the pan is when the dough relaxes enough to puff up beautifully in the oven.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, turn your oven on for one minute, then turn it off and let your dough rise in there—the residual warmth creates the perfect environment without overheating anything.
  • The flaky sea salt makes a visible difference in both texture and taste; don't use fine sea salt on top, as it dissolves too quickly and disappears into the oil.
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