I've been trying to make focaccia at home for the past few months but every time I pull it out of the oven it's just swimming in olive oil. I follow recipes that say to brush it generously before baking, but mine ends up greasy instead of having that crispy outside I see in bakeries. What am I doing wrong with the oil amount or timing?
The problem is likely that you're brushing oil onto the dough before it goes in the oven rather than dimpling the dough and letting it soak up the oil during baking - try drizzling your oil right into those dimples just before the oven instead, and use less than you think you need since it concentrates as things cook. Also, make sure your oven temp is high enough (around 425°F or so) so the surface crisps up quickly instead of just soaking in oil for the whole bake.
You might be using way too much oil total - most bakery focaccia uses less than you'd think, they just apply it strategically. The trick I found that works is to dimple the dough really deep (like your fingers go almost to the bottom), then drizzle oil directly into those dimples rather than brushing it all over the surface. The dough absorbs what it needs in the oven instead of it all just sitting on top and getting greasy. Also make sure your oven temp is actually hot enough - a slower bake lets oil just sit there instead of crisping up the crust. Try backing off to maybe half the oil the recipe calls for on your first attempt and see if that gives you that crispy exterior you're after.
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