My Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup just wouldn’t be the same without this herbaceous Cast Iron Rosemary Focaccia.
If you read my last post then you may recall my recommendation. Do you remember the ‘foreshadow’? Rosemary focaccia? Is this ringing a bell? I said it would be the perfect complement to my mushroom soup …
Welp, here it is!
The lovely thing about this focaccia is that you can make it using your favorite scratch dough recipe or you can pick up a ready made pizza dough at your favorite grocer (which is what I did) and be that much closer to dinner.
Dough drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary and sea salt is a bread lover’s paradise. And don’t even get me started on its aroma.
For any one of you who are new to the focaccia world, Welcome!
Focaccia is an Italian oven-baked bread that’s typically prepared with olive oil, salt and herbs but it can also be topped with cheeses and meats.
Focaccia dough is similar to pizza dough in both its form and texture. It’s typically rolled flat like a pizza, however, focaccia dough is often stippled to create small wells or divots. These wells do a good job of collecting a fair amount of the olive oil that you’ll brush over the entire surface of the dough to maintain its moisture. Stippling or ‘dotting’ the focaccia dough is done simply by using your fingertips or the rounded handle of a small utensil to create the dents you commonly see in focaccia.
I’m not shy about using ingredients that are beyond the typical olive oil and herbs. Take this focaccia made with lemony greens and parmesan for example, or this rosemary focaccia with sautéed onions and peppers… So so good.
Plus – when you live with a guy whose nickname in college was ‘Pizza Man’, it’s important to be creative. Naaaah – who am I kidding? Dom’s not picky at all when it comes to anything containing a crispy crust.
Speaking of crispy crust…I’m also not shy about changing up the vessel it’s cooked in. If you’ve been visiting Ciao Chow lately then you know I’m a huge fan of cast iron cooking. I made this recently, and this, oh – and this! And man, if it doesn’t do its job in the crispy crust department… So so good.
This Cast Iron Rosemary Focaccia is great for dipping in soups or dolloping with sauce but it’s also a fantastic alternative to sliced bread or dinner rolls any night of the week!
Buon Appetito!
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Cast Iron Rosemary Focaccia
- Category: Bread
Ingredients
- One 1 lb. package store bought pizza dough
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh rosemary, divided
- Sea salt, to season (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a towel and let it come to room temperature.
- Next, add 2 Tbsp. rosemary to dough and knead until combined.
- Place dough back in the bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place, about an hour.
- When ready, pour two tablespoons olive oil in skillet.
- Carefully press dough into bottom of skillet.
- Using your fingertips, press dough to fill the pan and to create divots.
- Sprinkle dough with remaining rosemary and olive oil.
- Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with sea salt.
CIAO!
Lovely. I needed this inspiration to make something different in my cast iron. And, I now have those individual-sized cast iron skillets. Need to give this a go. Thanks.
That is awesome! Enjoy, my friend!
i love everything in cast iron but i’ve never made focaccia in there…what a fantastic idea! when i worked in an italian restaurant we made trays of focaccia every night for bread service the next day. i never tired of eating it as we sliced it up. nothing beats it and even though I love toppings, I think rosemary and sea salt is my favorite!
Oh my..I would never tire of eating it, either!! Such wonderful work!! 🙂
Thought your readers might like a comment from someone who ACTUALLY made it! LOL! This was delicious! I used my 10″ cast iron pan. Followed the directions using the store bought dough, but I forgot to add the salt after. However I had added some freshly grated parmesan so that added a little salty taste. This was fantastic and baked up beautifully in the pan! Thank you for the easy great recipe! I’ll be making this again! Hmmm….maybe with some chopped sundried tomatoes next time??!! Might be gilding the lily!
Yes!! That is music to my ears, Linde! So happy you tried it and liked it!! Love the idea of grated parm and sundried tomatoes!! Yum!! Thanks for stopping by with a kind word!! 🙂
I love homemade bread of every kind! Focaccia is one of my favorites, but I’ve never baked one in a cast iron pan before! It’s the perfect pan for just about everything so why not bread? This looks so yummy…especially paired with your mushroom soup!
The combination of the mushroom soup and focaccia is comfort to the max! Thanks, Kathy!!
Oh Annie… you’re making my heart swoon! I LOVE focaccia bread! Like I would eat an entire loaf in one sitting! Is there anything better smelling than bread baking? And bread baking with rosemary to boot?! I’ve never tried making focaccia in a cast iron skillet – pure genius! I can only imagine how wonderfully crispy the outside gets while the inside stays perfectly soft.
I highly recommend you try it! There is nothing not to love when using a cast iron skillet!! Thanks, my friend! 🙂
What an absolutely gorgeous focaccia!! I wish it was baking in my oven right now because I have a feeling it made your kitchen (and whole house!) smell like a delicious bakery!
You got that right!! There’s nothin’ better!! Thanks, Sues!! 🙂
Focaccia is so delicious! I love how thick it is and the way it just soaks up olive oil…
That’s the best, isn’t it!! Thanks, Medha!
What a beautiful bread to compliment any meal. I love a good sprinkle of sea salt on my bread it’s probably my favorite topping for any bread. Yum! Take care!
I am with you! Warm bread with olive oil and sea salt is delectable! Thank you, my friend!! 🙂
focaccia is one of my favorite breads to make at home! this looks so good Annie, love that you made it in a cast iron!
Thank you, Manali! It’s a fun one to make!
I’m a big fan of breads and ones like this with herbs and goodies on top. Perfect for dunking in soups. Wish I had a skillet of this the other night, though now I have a good recipe to check out. Thanks!
I can’t resist the goodies on top! Thank you, Kevin!!
Focaccia is one of my favorite bread, especially if it’s homemade, there’s nothing better than that crispy crust seasoned with fresh rosemary and soft spongy center. The tip of using ready made pizza dough is genius and makes bread making a lot easier. I need to purchase a new cast iron skillet; I left my old one when I moved, and I miss the flavor and fun of cooking such a versatile apparatus.
Sometimes we just need a little help from our friends! Thanks for stopping by with a kind word, Mary!
Oh my, Annie – can I come right over and have lunch with you! I love focaccia – and love that you’ve made it in a cast iron skillet. So perfect with your delicious soup! I have a ton of rosemary growing – so will be trying this soon. Have a great week.
Absolutely! I would love that! Maybe someday we can make that happen! Thanks, my friend! Have a great week!
Olive oil, sea salt and rosemary sitting in those “wells” make focaccia the best! I’ve never made it into a cast iron pan, though, I should try! Thanks for sharing and, as usual, beautiful pictures! Have a great start of the week!
Thank you, Nicoletta! I highly recommend the cast iron! Wishing you a beautiful day, my friend!
I wouldn’t be fussy if this delicious rosemary focaccia showed up on my table! I love that you cooked it in cast iron and I be it is so crunchy and amazing! And Dom’s Pizza Man nickname is hilarious!
That little bit of crunch with the olive oil and herbs…oh man – it’s what good bread is all about! I’m sure you can guess how he earned that nickname!! Thanks, friend! 🙂
Ok, that has to be the nicest looking foccacia ever Annie! It’s one of my favorite kinds of breads and I also just love rosemary. Perfect to go along with that mushroom soup!
It’s so good in soups and stews and sauces… Oh my! Thank you so much, my friend!!
Yahhhhsss to foccacia! Seriously I could eat it as my meal, but I bet it tastes out of this world paired with your soup!! The cast iron is the only way I make my foccacia any more, because SO delicious AND easy! I’m adding this one to my list of must make!! Love that rosemary!! Pinned! Cheers, friend!
Yep – I could do a cheer for focaccia! Especially focaccia prepared in a cast iron skillet! Thanks for the pin, my friend! Cheers!
Mmm I NEED this rosemary focaccia bread (and that soup!) in my life. Looks SO good, Annie! Focaccia bread is my absolute favorite. I’ve only made it once before, so it’s time to try it out again. I love that you made this in the cast iron skillet, too. Looks incredible!
Focaccia is on a level all its own! We love it, too! Thanks, Gayle!! 🙂
‘Pizza Man’. That’s so funny! Though, I do love pizza too. And bread. I think I just love carbs 😉 Love how you used a cast iron pan here; you probably know I’m a big fan 🙂 And using store bough pizza dough? Well, that’s just brilliant, my friend! Talk about a time saver! You make everything look so pretty, Annie! Love it! Pinned, of course. Have a wonderful week! xoxo
Hahahah! Yep – carbs sometimes feel like a member of our family….hahahah! (Just kidding – not really!) 😉 When you’re in a hurry – store bought dough does the trick! Thank you for your kind words, my dear! Have a great day and week!! xoxo
Gorgeous Focaccia! I can smell the wonderful aroma now. I am really anxious to start baking again — it’s been too long. To me, baking is therapeutic. Smooth jazz filling the house along with a wonderful aroma, I’m in heaven! We have several cast iron skillets – I’m trying your method. Have a wonderful day!! Abbracci!
Then this is the recipe for you…baby steps to baking… Thank you, my friend! Have a wonderful day!! 🙂