Red Onion & Rosemary Focaccia for Lammas

Lammas Bread Recipe: A sacred bake to honour the grain harvest and the hearth

Lammas (or Lughnasadh) marks the turning point in the Wheel of the Year—the first harvest, the season of gratitude, of giving thanks for what we’ve grown, and of sharing food as sacred ritual.

And what better way to honour this sabbat than by baking bread?

This simple focaccia is more than just a delicious bake. It’s an offering. A spell of nourishment. A golden celebration of grain, herbs, and home magic.

Kitchen Witch Wisdom for Lammas

Bread has always been sacred. In many folk traditions, the act of kneading dough was seen as a form of prayer—a physical way to weave intentions into sustenance. This focaccia recipe brings together grain (for abundance), rosemary (for protection and remembrance), and red onion (for strength and truth).

Baking it during Lammas connects us with the land, with ancient rhythms, and with the magic of transformation.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 batch white bread dough (use your favourite basic bread recipe)

• 5 tbsp olive oil

• A pinch of sea salt

For the topping:

• 2 large red onions, sliced

• A handful of fresh rosemary sprigs

• 1 tsp sea salt flakes

Method

1. Prepare your dough
Make your chosen bread dough, adding 2 tbsp olive oil and only a small pinch of salt. As the dough rises, prepare your topping.

Witchy tip: As you knead, focus on your intentions. Whisper a thank-you to the earth, the sun, and the grain. Let your gratitude be the secret ingredient.

2. Cook the onions
Gently soften the red onions in 1 tbsp olive oil for about 5 minutes. You’re not aiming to brown them—just to awaken their sweetness.

3. Shape and prove
Once your dough has risen, knock it back and stretch it into an oiled Swiss roll tin (around 25 x 35cm). Let it prove for another 20 minutes.

4. Top and bake
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / Gas 6.

Scatter the softened onions over the dough, followed by sprigs of rosemary. Press your fingers into the dough to make gentle dimples—a tradition in focaccia baking that also gives you the perfect moment to press in your blessings and hopes.

Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top and sprinkle with sea salt flakes.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown, aromatic, and crisp on top.

Magical Correspondences

Serving and Ritual

Cut into squares or tear with your hands. Serve warm with family, friends, or just your own lovely self. Enjoy it with a fresh summer salad or as part of a Lammas feast.

If you have a Lammas altar, consider offering the first piece to the spirit of the harvest—or leave it outside as a gift to nature.

As you eat, reflect on what you’re harvesting in your life. What seeds have you sown that are now bearing fruit?