Focaccia
A high-hydration dough given an overnight cold rise, then dimpled under olive oil and baked in a pan so the base fries crisp while the crumb stays open and custardy.
- 1
Whisk the bread flour, yeast and fine sea salt in a large bowl. Add the water and mix with a stiff spatula until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy, slack and very sticky. Cover and rest 15 minutes.
- 2
With a wet hand, reach under one edge of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3 more times. Cover.
- 3
Repeat that set of 4 folds three more times at 20-minute intervals. By the last set the dough should be smoother, stronger and holding its shape.
- 4
Cover tightly and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours. It should rise to roughly double and be full of large bubbles.
- 5
Coat a 9x13-inch pan with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Tip in the dough without deflating it, turn it once to coat the top, and let it sit at room temperature 2 hours, until it has relaxed into the corners and looks puffy and jiggly.
- 6
Heat the oven to 450°F. Oil your fingers and press straight down through the dough to the pan bottom all over, spacing the dimples about an inch apart.
- 7
Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over the top, then scatter with the rosemary and flaky salt.
- 8
Bake 22 to 28 minutes, until the top is deep gold and the underside is browned and crisp when you lift a corner with a spatula.
- 9
Slide the focaccia out of the pan onto a rack and cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour (500 g)
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 2/3 cups water (400 g)
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the bread flour, yeast and fine sea salt in a large bowl. Add the water and mix with a stiff spatula until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy, slack and very sticky. Cover and rest 15 minutes.
- 2
With a wet hand, reach under one edge of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3 more times. Cover.
- 3
Repeat that set of 4 folds three more times at 20-minute intervals. By the last set the dough should be smoother, stronger and holding its shape.
- 4
Cover tightly and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours. It should rise to roughly double and be full of large bubbles.
- 5
Coat a 9x13-inch pan with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Tip in the dough without deflating it, turn it once to coat the top, and let it sit at room temperature 2 hours, until it has relaxed into the corners and looks puffy and jiggly.
- 6
Heat the oven to 450°F. Oil your fingers and press straight down through the dough to the pan bottom all over, spacing the dimples about an inch apart.
- 7
Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over the top, then scatter with the rosemary and flaky salt.
- 8
Bake 22 to 28 minutes, until the top is deep gold and the underside is browned and crisp when you lift a corner with a spatula.
- 9
Slide the focaccia out of the pan onto a rack and cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.