Focaccia

Lunch | Italian

Prep time: 4 min Cook time: 30 min Servings: 6

This is a recipe for a no-knead focaccia which makes is very easy for anyone to make at home. After reading this recipe (or watching the video), you'll know how to make a basic focaccia that's light, fluffy and has a great golden colour... and is delicious!

You can use it for dipping bread, a nice starter with olive oil or make a sandwich with it which is my favourite way to use focaccia.

Make sure you watch the video for visual instructions!

The no-knead method

For this recipe, we're using the stretch and fold method instead of kneading. As this is a high hydration dough, it would be very messy if you tried to knead it. We'll do four rounds of stretch and fold over two hours. Each fold allows us to work the gluten and to create a nice light dough with lots of little air pockets in it.

With a stretch and fold, all you have to do is take one side of the dough and stretch it over to the other side. Now, rotate your bowl and repeat the same step another three times.

Dimpling

The dimpling step before baking is functional, not decorative. Pressing your fingers deep into the proofed dough pops larger gas bubbles and redistributes them into smaller, more even ones throughout the dough. The second drizzle of olive oil pools in the dimples and crisps the top surface as it bakes, giving focaccia its characteristic golden, slightly crunchy exterior.

Ingredient Notes

Flour: This is the main (and most important) ingredient. You want bread flour which is a high protein flour (around 12-13% vs 9-11%). The high protein gives focaccia it's structure as it develops more gluten when the dough is hydrated and worked. More gluten means more structure to trap the gas produced by the yeast, giving you a better rise and a chewier texture. Plain flour works as a substitute but the crumb will be softer and slightly denser. Don’t use self-raising flour.

Dry yeast: The recipe dissolves the yeast in warm water before adding it to the flour. Water temperature matters: 32°C (90°F) is warm enough to activate the yeast without killing it. Above about 60°C the yeast dies. If the water is too hot to hold your hand in comfortably, let it cool before adding the yeast. If the mixture doesn’t look slightly foamy after 5-10 minutes, the yeast may be old or the water too hot. Start again with fresh yeast rather than continuing.

Olive oil: Used three ways in this recipe: in the dough itself for flavour and to tenderise the crumb slightly, to coat the baking tray so the base fries and crisps rather than steaming, and drizzled over the top before baking for the golden, slightly crunchy surface. A neutral oil can substitute in the dough, but use a decent quality olive oil for the top and the tray coating, as those contribute directly to flavour.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Smaller bowl or glass measuring jug
Tea towel
Rimmed baking tray (approx 30x40cm)
Chopping board and chef’s knife (for cutting to serve)

Ingredients

600g (1 lb 5 oz) bread flour
475ml of warm water
7g (2 ¼ tsp) dry yeast
12g (2 ½ tsp) cooking salt (kosher salt)
60ml (4 tbsp) olive oil
big pinch of flaky salt

Directions

Add your flour to a large bowl. In a smaller bowl or glass measuring jug, add 475ml (16 fl oz) of warm water (32°C / 90°F) and the dry yeast and mix until dissolved.
Add the water yeast mixture to the flour along with 2 tablespoons (30ml) of olive oil. Start mixing and then add in the cooking salt.
Mix your dough until combined. This is a high hydration dough, so you're not aiming for a smooth dough just mix until everything is incorporated and the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, uncover the dough. With a wet hand, stretch one corner of the dough and fold it over itself. Repeat 3-4 times until the dough is completely folded over itself. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this process three more times.
After the fourth and final round of stretching and folding, let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Prepare your baking tray by drizzling about 2 tablespoons (30ml) of olive oil in the bottom of the tray. Pour in the dough, which should be light and airy by now. Using well-oiled hands, stretch the dough to cover all corners of the tray. If it doesn't stretch fully, cover it with a tea towel, let it rest for 5 minutes, and try again. Once the dough fills the tray, cover with the tea towel and let it proof for 30 minutes.
Preheat a fan-forced oven to 220°C (428°F) or a conventional oven to 240°C (464°F).
After 30 minutes, remove the tea towel. Drizzle some more olive oil over the top and use your fingers to create dimples throughout the dough. Add a big pinch of flaky salt.
Place the bread in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Watch the water temperature when activating the yeast

Water that’s too hot kills the yeast before it can activate. Too cold and the yeast won’t wake up properly. The target is 32°C (90°F): comfortably warm on the inside of your wrist, not hot. If you don’t have a thermometer, mix roughly equal parts boiling and cold tap water and test it. Activated yeast in warm water should look slightly foamy after 5-10 minutes.

Don’t rush the stretch and fold

Each 30-minute rest between folds lets the gluten relax so it can be stretched again. If you try to fold before the dough has rested, it will tear rather than stretch. You need 4 rounds in total. The dough should feel noticeably more elastic and cohesive after each one. By the fourth fold it should hold its shape and feel airy when you handle it.

Individual focaccias

Use 200ml capacity individual pie tins or cast iron mini pans, lightly oiled. Fill each with equal portions of the dough after the stretch and fold stage. A full quantity makes 8 individual focaccias. Continue with the proofing and dimpling steps, then bake at the same temperature for 20 minutes rather than 25-30.

Storage

Store at room temperature wrapped in a clean tea towel for up to 2 days. Focaccia dries out faster than bread with a tighter crumb. For longer storage, slice and freeze in a zip-lock bag for up to 1 month. Reheat directly from frozen in a 180°C oven for 5-8 minutes until warmed through and the crust crisps back up.

FAQs

Can I add toppings? Yes, and I’d encourage it. Press toppings into the dimples just before baking. Cherry tomatoes, olives, sliced red onion, rosemary sprigs, capers and caramelised onion all work well. If using cheese, add it in the last 8-10 minutes to prevent burning. For a flavoured base, swap the warm water for warm stock as in the recipe notes. Chicken, beef or vegetable all work.

Why didn’t my dough rise? Most likely the yeast didn’t activate. This happens when the water is too hot (above 60°C) or the yeast is past its use-by date. Check the packet. If the dissolved yeast mixture doesn’t look at least slightly foamy after 10 minutes, don’t continue with that batch. Start again with fresh yeast and water at the right temperature. Flour that’s too old can also inhibit the rise, though this is less common.

Can I make the dough the night before? Yes. After mixing, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight instead of doing the stretch and fold at room temperature. Cold slows the yeast down and gives a slow, overnight fermentation. The next day, bring the dough to room temperature for about an hour, then do the stretch and fold rounds before shaping. The slower fermentation develops more flavour in the dough.