Description
This Best, Easiest Focaccia Bread Recipe yields a pillowy, airy, and flavorful Italian classic perfect for sandwiches or as a side. Made with simple ingredients like flour, yeast, salt, water, and olive oil, this recipe features a long cold fermentation for enhanced texture and taste, and is topped with fragrant rosemary and flaky sea salt before baking to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 4 cups (512 g) all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 2 to 3 teaspoons (10 to 15 grams) kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast
- 2 cups (455 g) lukewarm water (made by combining 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 1/2 cups cold water)
To Prepare the Pan
- Butter for greasing
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Topping
- Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
- 1 to 2 teaspoons whole rosemary leaves, optional
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients and Form Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add lukewarm water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until liquid is absorbed and ingredients form a sticky dough ball.
- Rest and Stretch & Fold: Cover the bowl and let dough rest for 30 minutes. Then, with a wet hand, stretch and fold the dough 8 to 10 times around the edges to develop gluten, transforming it from sticky to smooth and cohesive.
- Oil and Refrigerate Dough: Lightly rub the surface of the dough with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate immediately for at least 12 hours, ideally 18 to 24 hours, or up to 3 days to develop flavor and texture.
- Prepare Baking Pans: Line two 8- or 9-inch pie plates or a 9×13-inch pan with parchment or grease them with butter or nonstick spray. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into each pan (or 2 tablespoons for the larger pan).
- Deflate and Portion Dough: Using two forks, deflate the dough by pulling it toward the center and turning the bowl in quarter turns. Divide dough into two equal pieces for smaller pans or keep whole for the larger pan. Roll each piece in oil-coated hands to form rough balls.
- Second Rise at Room Temperature: Place dough balls into prepared pans and let rest uncovered for 3 to 4 hours until risen and airy.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dough: Set oven rack in middle and preheat to 425°F (218°C). Optionally sprinkle rosemary leaves over dough. Pour a tablespoon or two of olive oil over dough, rub hands with oil, and using all fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples. Gently stretch dough as needed to fill the pans.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle flaky sea salt evenly across the surface of the dough.
- Bake Focaccia: Transfer pans to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the underside is golden brown and crisp.
- Cool and Store: Remove focaccia from pans to a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving or slicing. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat at 350ºF (177ºC) for 15 minutes to restore the crust.
Notes
- Cold, refrigerated dough improves the focaccia’s texture—aim for 18 to 24 hours of fermentation for best results.
- If pressed for time, the dough can be fully made in about 3 hours by allowing a shorter room temperature rise.
- Various pans can be used: two 9-inch pie plates for thinner loaves, a 9×13-inch pan for a thicker focaccia, or a 13×18-inch rimmed sheet pan for very thin focaccia.
- Use a digital scale for accurate flour and water measurement.
- Adjust salt quantity based on preference; 10 grams for less salty, up to 15 grams for more pronounced flavor, keeping in mind additional sea salt topping.
- If using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, proof the yeast in lukewarm water for 15 minutes before mixing.
- All-purpose or bread flour can be used. Bread flour is recommended in humid climates or for a chewier texture.
- Lightly oil the dough before refrigeration to prevent drying and crust formation on the surface.
- Reheating focaccia restores crust crispness—bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 85 g)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
