Focaccia

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5 from 1 vote

Focaccia has a crisp, salty crust with a light, chewy texture and deep flavor. Use the best possible olive oil you can!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Resting Time11

Total Time11 50

Course: Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Focaccia, focaccia bread

Servings: large (sandwich size)

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $3.61

Equipment

9 x 13-inch baking pan or 13x18-inch pan, see note 1

Ingredients

Plain Focaccia

6 tablespoons olive oil divided
2-1/2 cups water warm (110℉)
2-1/4 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
Flaky sea salt for topping bread, optional

Optional: Herb Oil To Make Herbed Focaccia

2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon pepper

US - Metric

Instructions

Tip: It might be helpful to watch the tutorial video before starting.
Whisk the yeast, honey, and warm water in a medium bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until creamy/foamy.
Optional Herbed Oil: Skip this step for plain focaccia. For herbed focaccia, heat 6 tbsp olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and pepper on low for 5–10 minutes or until very fragrant. Set aside to fully cool before using.
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Use a spatula to press the dough to one side of the bowl and pour in 4 tbsp plain (or cooled herbed) olive oil.
Using both your hands, pick up all the dough (it’s very sticky and wet!) and turn it around twice to fully coat in oil.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 8–24 hours. (See note 3 to bake sooner.) Dough should be bubbly and wobbly in the morning.
See note 1. Grease the pan by rubbing 1 tbsp softened butter all over, then lightly spray with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tbsp herbed or plain oil, smoothing it evenly across bottom of pan.
Remove dough from the fridge. Using 2 forks, gather up the dough farthest from you and lift it up and over the center of the bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process. Repeat 2 more times (4 total folds). Gently let the dough slide from bowl into prepared pan. Let it rise (uncovered) in a warm spot for 1.5–3 hours.
You’ll know the dough is ready when if poked, it springs back slowly, leaving an indentation (if it springs back quickly, it isn’t quite ready).
Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Lightly oil your hands with 1 teaspoon oil and press/stretch the dough to fill the pan. Dimple the focaccia with your fingers (pretend you’re aggressively playing the piano!). For plain focaccia, drizzle 1 more tablespoon olive oil over bread. Bake for 20–30 minutes (13x18-inch pan) or 25–35 minutes (9x13-inch pan) or until puffed and deeply golden brown all over. Remove from oven and let stand for 10–15 minutes (steam is still cooking bread). For herbed focaccia, brush with remaining 1 tablespoon herbed oil after baking.
For plain focaccia: right before serving, melt remaining 2 tbsp butter and use a pastry brush to brush over bread. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Cut into squares and enjoy warm. For sandwiches, slice each square in half.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Use a 9x13-inch pan for thick focaccia (perfect for sandwiches!) or use a 13x18-inch pan (half sheet pan) for thinner focaccia (great for snacking/bread basket).

Note 2: Measuring flour can greatly vary, which can lead to changes in texture. If you have a food scale, I highly recommend using it. No food scale? Make sure to spoon flour into the cup measurer and completely fill it up, then level the top off with the back of a butter knife.

Note 3: Baking without chilling overnight: Let bread rise at room temperature (70°F) until doubled in size, about 90 mins to 2 hours. Spread in pan and let rise again until doubled in size, then bake.

Storage: Focaccia is best eaten the day it’s made. To store, freeze sliced pieces wrapped in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Reheat unwrapped on a sheet pan in a 300°F (150°C) oven.

Nutrition