Mushroom + Rosemary Focaccia
Roasted oyster mushrooms pressed into a high-hydration overnight focaccia. Olive-oil drenched.
- Total time
- 1500 min
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- medium
Focaccia's appeal is its forgiveness. The dough is high-hydration (75-80%), which sounds intimidating but actually makes it harder to mess up — wet doughs self-organize during the cold ferment, develop gluten without kneading, and produce the open airy crumb that drier doughs only achieve through skill. The whole thing wants to be ignored for 24 hours. Mushrooms are an unconventional but effective focaccia topping. Pre-roasted oyster mushrooms (the dry-roast technique that drives off water and concentrates flavor) get pressed into the dimpled dough alongside fresh rosemary and flaky salt before the final 90-minute proof. They crisp at the edges in the hot oven without going soggy, and their dark caramel against the pale yellow olive-oil soaked dough is striking. This is a 2-day recipe by design — mix Saturday afternoon, bake Sunday morning. The reward is bakery-quality focaccia for the cost of flour, salt, yeast, oil, and 5 minutes of active work spread over a weekend.
Method
- 1
DAY 1, AFTERNOON: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and olive oil. Mix with a wet hand or sturdy spoon until no dry flour remains. The dough will be sticky and shaggy — this is correct. Cover and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
- 2
Wet your hand. Reach under one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold over the top. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this 4 times total (this is one set of folds). Cover and rest 30 minutes. Repeat the fold cycle 3 more times — total 4 fold sets, 2 hours elapsed.
- 3
After the final fold, drizzle the dough with 1 tbsp olive oil, cover tightly, and refrigerate 18-24 hours. The slow cold ferment is what builds the flavor.
- 4
DAY 2, MORNING: Generously oil a 9x13-inch baking pan with about 3 tbsp olive oil — coat the bottom and sides thoroughly. The oil pool is intentional.
- 5
Tip the cold dough into the oiled pan. Drizzle the top with another 1 tbsp olive oil. With oiled fingers, gently stretch the dough toward the corners. It will resist; don't force it. Cover loosely and let rest 30 minutes, then stretch again. The dough should now reach all four corners.
- 6
While the dough proofs, roast the mushrooms: heat oven to 425°F. Toss oyster mushroom strands with 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt on a sheet pan. Roast 12-15 minutes until edges are deeply browned and the mushrooms have shrunk to about 1/3 their original size. Cool slightly.
- 7
Once the dough has stretched to the corners and looks puffy (about 60-90 minutes from the fridge total), use oiled fingertips to dimple it all over — push your fingers straight down to the bottom of the pan, leaving deep dents across the entire surface. The dimples are non-negotiable; they hold the oil pools that define focaccia.
- 8
Press the roasted mushrooms into the dimples, distributing evenly. Scatter rosemary leaves on top. Drizzle with another 2 tbsp olive oil, focusing on the dimples. Sprinkle generously with flaky salt and a few cracks of pepper.
- 9
Bake at 425°F for 22-28 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and the bottom is crisp (lift a corner with a spatula to check). Rotate the pan halfway through.
- 10
Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Cut into squares while still warm. Best within 4 hours of baking; reheats reasonably well in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.
Notes + variations
- •Bread flour matters — its higher protein content gives the structure that holds the open crumb. AP flour will work but produces a denser bread.
- •The 18-24 hour cold ferment is where the flavor lives. Don't shortcut it; the dough won't have the same depth.
- •Pre-roasting the mushrooms is critical. Raw mushrooms on focaccia release water and make the top soggy.
- •A scale is more reliable than measuring cups for high-hydration breads. The grams measurements above are the source of truth.
- •Variations: top with halved cherry tomatoes + mushrooms, or thinly sliced red onion + mushrooms. Anything sturdy enough to bake at 425°F works.
Grow it yourself
This recipe pairs with the following cultivated strains. If you're growing at home, here's what to plant.
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Cooking workflow
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