Why it works: Semolina and olive work together. They rank in the top 9% of all ingredient pairs, and 166 recipes mention both. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓
The recipe
Ingredients
Contains: wheat (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)
- Topping
Directions
Make the dough
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine flour, semolina, yeast, salt, and sugar; pulse on/off to mix.
In a measuring cup, combine 2/3 cup hot water (120°F to 130°F) and olive oil.
With the processor motor running, gradually pour the hot liquid through the feed tube.
Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.
If the dough seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times.
Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place, sprayed side down, over the dough.
Let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
Prepare the pan and oven
Place a baking stone or inverted baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to heat.
Preheat the oven to 450°F (heat the baking stone 25 minutes before baking; heat the baking sheet for 10 minutes).
Coat another baking sheet with cooking spray and dust with semolina.
Shape and bake
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle.
Sprinkle olives and 2 teaspoons rosemary over half of the rectangle.
Fold the dough in half to enclose the olives and form a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Press the edges together to seal.
Roll the dough into a 15 x 11-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 20 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the oil mixture over the top of the focaccia.
Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons rosemary over the focaccia.
Dip your fingertips in any remaining oil mixture and press the dough to form dimples. Pinch and pleat the rim to finish the edges.
Place the baking sheet on the heated baking stone and bake until the bottom of the crust is golden and crisp, 10 to 20 minutes.
Transfer the focaccia to a cutting board and use a pizza cutter to cut into 8 rectangles.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
This recipe comes from the Recipes Wiki on Fandom and is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Our formatting and summaries are shared under the same licence.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
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Semolina + olivetop 9% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together166 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
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Flour + semolinatop 2% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together310 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Flour + sugartop 10% of all pairsAroma overlaplowMentioned together89,462 recipes
Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).
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Semolina + sugartop 11% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together350 recipes
Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).
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Flour + olivetop 15% of all pairsAroma overlaplowMentioned together13,452 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Flour and sugar share little aroma chemistry, yet 89,462 recipes mention both: they likely work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Forms the gluten network that gives the focaccia its structure and chew.
- Quick-rising yeast
- Produces gas as it ferments, making the dough rise and become airy.
- Olive oil
- Adds fat for richer flavor and a tender crumb, and helps the crust brown.
- Semolina
- Adds a slightly gritty texture and keeps the bottom from sticking to the pan.
The step that matters
Baking on a preheated stone or sheet. A hot surface delivers strong heat to the base of the dough, setting the crust quickly so it turns golden and crisp rather than pale and soggy.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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