Focaccia Bread

Pizza bread. Will showcase the flavor of your favorite olive oil.

Note: I have adjusted the recipe according to my tastes and equipment.

In any baking recipe. including this one, I suggest you measure by weight and not by volume. You’ll get more consistent results.

Details

Prep time: 15 minutes (active), plus 4 × 30-minute rest intervals
Rise time: Overnight cold ferment + 2 hours final proof
Bake time: 28 minutes
Serves: 8-12
Pan size: 9×13 inch (at least 2 inches deep)

Ingredients

Dough

560g (4 cups) bread flour (I use King Arthur Flour)
470g (2 cups) lukewarm water (80-100°F / 27-37°C)
11g (2 tsp) salt
7g dried yeast (active or instant)
12g (1 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil

For the Pan & Topping

2 tbsp olive oil (for the pan)
2 tbsp olive oil (for drizzling over dough)
Flaky salt

Instructions

1. Mix the Dough (10 minutes)

In a large bowl, weigh and sift the flour. Create a dimple in the center by digging the flour to the bowl’s edge with your hand. In a small bowl or vessel, measure the warm water. Add the salt, the 12g (1 tbsp) olive oil, and the yeast. Whisk until uniform. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the flour. Stir it all together, allowing the flour to hydrate. Your goal is to achieve uniformity in the dough, and you will likely need to employ some vigorous stirring in order to get there. The dough will still be sticky when uniform. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

2. Stretch and Fold (4 rounds, 2 hours total)

Run your hands under warm water. With a wet hand, take one side of the dough, stretch it up and drag it over to the opposite side of the dough. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat 3 times (4 folds per round). Cover and rest 30 minutes. Repeat this step 3 more times (4 rounds total, 2 hours total).

3. Cold Ferment (Overnight)

After the final fold, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or up to 48 hours.

4. Prepare the Pan

If your 9x13 inch pan is not non-stick, line the bottom with parchment paper first. Pour 2 tbsp of olive oil into the center area of the pan.

5. Final Stretch and Transfer (2 hours)

Perform one last round of stretch-and-folds, then gently place the dough into the center of the oiled pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Cover well, and let the dough proof at room temperature for 2 hours (the dough needs extra time to warm up after the cold ferment).

6. Dimple & Top

Drizzle the dough with 1 more tbsp of olive oil. With oiled hands, gently press many deep dimples (all the way to the bottom) all over the dough, and at the tail end of this process, jiggle your fingers in the dough to make the finger holes wider. At this point you can choose to add toppings of your choice, making sure they are oiled to prevent burning.

7. Bake (28 minutes)

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Bake for 28 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy. (Note: In Emma’s recipe, she uses a convection oven with the fan on at 400°F for 20-25 minutes. I do not have a convection oven.)

8. Cool & Serve

Rest in the pan for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Experiment with different slicings! Thick “blocks,” or thinner slices.

← Home