Gluten Free Olive and Rosemary Focaccia – a delicious Italian classic!
To label this focaccia as “fantastic” is quite a statement, but I assure you, in no way is it exaggerated. Those of you who have had to eliminate gluten from your diet will be well aware that bread which is gluten free frequently doesn’t satisfy as it did in your gluten-eating days. So I am delighted to share this recipe with you, and it’s one that you can confidently serve to gluten-eating friends.
I attribute the success of this focaccia to Caputo Fiore Glut, an Italian gluten-free flour created especially for bread. I live in Adelaide and buy it from Imma and Mario’s Mercato, 625-627 Lower North East Road, Campbelltown.
The flour is also available at Goodies and Grains, Adelaide Central Market. If these stores are not convenient for you, you will need to search online for stockists, or perhaps purchase online. I cannot suggest alternative flour blends.
The focaccia is easily made, just mixed in one bowl, there is no tipping onto a floured bench and kneading as there is no gluten to develop. Just mix, allow the dough to rise, tip onto a baking tray and shape, let it rise again and then bake.
The focaccia looks amazing when baked so it’s at this point that you will need to exercise your restraint. Prior to serving, allow the bread needs to cool on a rack to allow the crumb to settle.
Serve with antipasti, with soup or slice in half horizontally and fill with prosciutto or cheese.
Please let me know in the comments below if you make this.
xx Faye and Alex
P.S. Enjoy this delicious focaccia with our simple to make Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Green Goddess Dip or Mediterranean Beef Stew.
Gluten Free Olive and Rosemary Focaccia
Ingredients
Dough
- 250 gm Caputo Gluten Free Flour
- 7 gm Yeast (1 Sachet)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 125 ml butter milk
- 125 ml water tepid (make sure it isn’t too hot)
Topping
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 12 Kalamata Olives pitted and halved
- sea salt flakes (I use Maldon)
- chilli flakes optional
Instructions
- Place the flour into a medium size bowl with the remaining ingredients. Keep the yeast and the salt separate; the salt may retard the growth of the yeast.
- Stir vigorously and thoroughly with a wooden spoon to make a smooth batter. The dough must be quite damp. If not, add some extra water.
- Scrape the batter into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap or a damp tea towel and prove approximately 1-2 hours or until the batter has doubled in size.
- Lightly oil a pizza tray and tip the dough onto the tray.
- Very gently shape the dough with a spoon which has been dipped in water, or, as I do, with fingertips dipped in water.Cover with a damp tea towel and let it rise for a further 30 minutes to 1 hour.In the meantime, preheat your oven to 200 Degrees C (400 F).
- When the dough has risen the second time, use your finger tips or knuckles and press dimples into the dough.
- Drizzle the dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and push olives into the dough. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and some flaked sea salt.
- Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and slide onto a cooling rack. - Brush again with the last tablespoon of olive oil. It gives the bread a nice sheen.
Notes
Nutrition
I’m not sure what I did wrong but my dough didn’t rise. I used Pillsbury GF flour, and I didn’t mix the salt in until all of the other ingredients were mixed because I didn’t want to kill the yeast. My dough seemed dry, so I added a small amount more water, a tablespoon at a time. I’m not good with metric measurements, so I asked Alexa to convert the grams and milliliters.
Hi Mary,
I wrote this recipe using Caputo bread flour, so I can’t comment on the Pillsbury flour as such, as it is not a brand I have used. (I will have to see if I can get it here, so I can give it a try).
It sounds as though your yeast didn’t activate. This usually happens when the yeast has died. It may be worth buying a fresh packet of yeast?
It may have also been due to the bread being prepared in a cold environment – a warm kitchen etc is important to help with bread making.
Kind regards, Alex
P.S. Here is a link to the flour we use in this recipe, if of interest to you – click here.
I used the Namaste brand GF flour blend. It worked well. The only problem is that it already has xanthum gum in it and I added more, so it was kind of weird inside, but we still ate it. I’m making it today, Thanksgiving Day, 2020. I’m looking forward to a perfect couple of loaves. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. This bread will be a lovely addition to our feast.
Happy Thanksgiving, Faye and Alex!
Hello!
Thank you so much for letting us know you tried the recipe. I am so pleased it will feature as part of your Thanksgiving.
Wishing you all the best!
Hi, ever tried to use almond flour instead? Thanks.
Hi Julie, I haven’t ever tried making bread with almond flour so could not advise you on this. We are currently working on almond flour recipes for the future. Kind regards, Alex. 🙂
I love this combination, Alexandra! I’ve never seen the gluten free caputo flour though – where did you pick it up from?
Thank you, Marcella! We get this flour from our local Italian grocer – it is available in some speciality stores, and also online. It is well worth it – the quality is exceptional! There is some more information here: Caputo Flour
I have a gluten sensitivity and have been waiting to find a good recipe for focaccia! This was such a hit and it was amazing! I’ll be making this again and again!
I am so pleased that the focaccia was such a hit Jamie. It’s a favourite of mine, great to get such good results with gluten-free bread. 🙂
HI there! Looking forward to trying this recipe. I was wondering if you could possibly clarify something for me. One of the dough ingredients is salt but in the instructions it says “Place the flour into a medium size bowl with the remaining ingredients. Keep the yeast and the salt separate; the salt may retard the growth of the yeast.” So when am I supposed to add the salt? Thanks!
Hi Sarah!
You add the salt at the same time as the yeast, but we recommend keeping them separate in the bowl until you start to mix the ingredients together. (We usually put them at opposite sides of the bowl)
Enjoy!
The Dough came out amazing! I posted the pick of the focaccia bread I made on instagram and tagged you on it.
Hi Maria,
Thank you so much for letting us know – we are so pleased you like this recipe!
Thank you also for tagging us. 🙂
Hello,
I stumbled upon your blog and so happy I did. My married daughter has recently been diagnosed as Coeliac so have been researching and trialling recipes for her.
So pleased to know of this Italian GF flour. I live in Brisbane so will search online for it.
Have you made GF loaves of bread with it? Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated.
My first trial of your recipes will be the GF Pear & Raspberry Cake. Looks like it will be delicious!
Thanks so much for the time and effort you put into your blog. I am SO thankful.
Regards,
Angela
Thank you, Angela – we are so pleased you came across the blog!
The GF flour is just superb – we are experimenting with more recipes at the moment, but haven’t made loaves at this time. (But it is something we are keen to start testing soon!)
I hope you’ll enjoy the Pear Cake – do let us know when you give it a try.
Kind regards, Alex
I made this using Caputo Fioreglut flour and it turned out absolutely amazing, nobody could tell it was gluten free! The inside is soft and fluffy, not dense like many gluten free baked goods, while the outside is crunchy. Would make again!
Kate, I am delighted that you enjoyed the focaccia. Thank you so much for letting me know. 🙂
Awesome recipe. It is very easy to follow! Thank you!
Hi Norma! Thank you so much 🙂 I am so pleased to hear that!
I have a friend who comes from a family of bakers. At every gathering now he always brings a tray of this. It’s amazing.
That is great, Nicole – thank you so much for sharing!