Rosemary and thyme focaccia: a dimpled loaf that tastes like normalcy

There is a real gap between missing an ingredient and missing an experience. This focaccia is built for the second one: the smell of an herb-flecked loaf in the oven, the act of tearing off a piece with your hands. It is one of the most reached-for recipes in AIP kitchens for exactly that reason.

Be honest with yourself about what a grain-free dough can and cannot do. It will not rise the way a wheat loaf does; the yeast here is mostly for flavor rather than lift, and the crumb stays dense. Baking it a little longer at a gentler heat helps the center finish without drying the edges.

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water, divided
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• One 1/4-oz packet active dry yeast
• 1 cup cassava flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1.5 tsp dried rosemary, plus extra for the top
• 1 tsp dried thyme, plus extra for the top
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup palm shortening, melted (coconut oil works)

Method

Stir the maple syrup into a portion of the warm water, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let it sit until it foams, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Whisk the cassava flour, coconut flour, rosemary, thyme, and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the remaining warm water, the melted shortening, and the foamy yeast mixture.

Mix until you have a smooth dough, then knead briefly by hand into a ball.

Flatten the dough on parchment into a roughly 1-inch-thick loaf. Cover and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Score the top in a few places, dimple it with your fingertips the way a traditional focaccia is dimpled, and scatter extra rosemary and thyme over the surface.

Bake at 400 F for about 35 minutes, until deeply golden. Cool completely before slicing.

AIP note: if yeast does not sit well with you, 1/2 tsp baking soda works in its place; the loaf will not rise as much either way, so this is a texture trade rather than a flavor loss.

Storage

Wrapped in a towel in a cool, dry spot, this keeps about 5 days.

*Adapted from asquirrelinthekitchen.com by Sophie Van Tiggelen*