Focaccia is a quick and easy yeasted bread that I make fairly often. It's a flat-ish Italian style of bread made with olive oil and often flavored with herbs.  

Focaccia is so good cut into squares and served warm with butter or olive oil, or cut into slightly larger pieces, sliced in half and used for sandwiches. Or you can use it as a base for more traditional pizza or flatbread toppings, pesto, tapenade, etc. 

I love making focaccia because it's very versatile and bakes up in no time.

Usually I top my focaccia with sliced or halved olives, but this time I decided to put fresh sage leaves from our kitchen garden (rescued before our first hard frost!) and garlic I grew this year on top of this version, but you can use whatever toppings you wish. 

Black olives, garlic, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, any type of herb, capers, even cheese … it all works! 

(scroll down for printable recipe card)

Focaccia with Garlic Sage Olive Oil

1 ⅓ cup warm water (around 110 degrees)

2 teaspoons honey

¼ ounce package yeast

3 ½ cups flour

¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 teaspoons salt

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Handful of fresh sage leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the bread attachment, stir the water, honey and yeast, then let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

On low speed, add the flour, 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 teaspoons of salt. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 5 or 6 minutes until the dough is smooth and not sticky. 

Rub a mixing bowl with olive oil, put the dough in, and cover with a clean, damp towel. Let rise in a warm spot for about an hour, until doubled in size. 

In a small bowl, mix the garlic and sage leaves, then pour in enough olive oil to completely cover, and then add a few grinds of pepper and mix to combine. 

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ½" thick. Cover with the towel and let rise for another 15 or 20 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Press the dough into a 9x13 oven-safe casserole dish and press holes all over it with your fingers. Pour the garlic sage oil over the top. Sprinkle with salt. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let cool for several minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.  Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired, and sprinkle with salt.

Wrap leftovers and eat within a few days.