Traditional Focaccia
This is a bread that favors intuition over rigid timing. You are looking for a dough that is soft, elastic, and feels almost like a heavy custard when you tip it out of the bowl.
Patience is your primary ingredient.
The bulk of the work happens in the refrigerator overnight; don't rush the cold ferment, as this is where the gluten develops enough to hold those large bubbles.
- Large glass bowl
- 9x13 metal baking pan
- Plastic shower cap or tight lid
- Bench scraper
What goes in.
- 500gbread flour
- 400glukewarm water
- 10gfine sea salt
- 3ginstant yeast
- 60mlextra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tspflaky sea salt for topping
Building strength without kneading
Instead of working the dough on a counter, reach under one side, pull it up, and fold it over itself. Repeat this four times around the bowl every thirty minutes for the first two hours to build structure without knocking out the gases.
The method.
Mix the dough
Whisk flour, salt, and yeast. Add water and 2 tablespoons of oil, mixing with your hands until no dry bits remain. It will be a shaggy, sticky mass.
Bulk fermentation
Cover the bowl. Perform the stretch and fold routine four times over two hours. Move the bowl to the refrigerator for 12 to 16 hours.
Pan proof
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into your 9x13 pan. Gently tip the cold dough into the pan and let it rest, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature. It should spread to the edges and double in height.
Dimpling
Drizzle the remaining oil over the surface. Oil your fingers and press straight down into the dough until you touch the bottom of the pan, creating deep craters.
Bake
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the bottom is fried in the oil and the top is a deep golden brown.
Other turns to take.
Rosemary and Garlic
Press fresh rosemary sprigs and thin garlic slivers into the dimples just before putting the pan in the oven.
Tomato and Olive
Nestle halved cherry tomatoes and pitted kalamata olives into the dough, cut-side down, before baking.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a metal pan rather than glass; metal conducts heat faster, ensuring the underside of the bread gets crispy rather than gummy.
If the dough resists stretching to the corners of the pan, let it rest for 15 minutes before trying again; do not force it.
The bubbles on the surface after dimpling are a sign of success; leave them be.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my dough so sticky?
High-hydration doughs are inherently sticky. Use wet hands to handle it rather than adding extra flour, which will ruin the crumb.