Focaccia Recipe

Overhead view of a slab of focaccia with three pieces cut out. Rosemary, a linen napkin, and a bowl of dipping oil on the side.

Enjoy homemade focaccia in a few simple steps; no stand mixer is needed! This bread is light, fluffy, and savory and is topped with flaky sea salt and herbs. Top it with different herbs or cheese, vegetables, or fruits to make this recipe your own.

Course bread

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Rising Time 14

Total Time 14 50

Servings servings, 1 (18x13-inch) loaf / 2 (13x9-inch) loaves

Calories 191kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Baking Sheet

Ingredients

2 cups warm water 110-120F, (480mL)
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 tablespoon honey
5 cups all-purpose flour (600g)
1 tablespoon salt
8 to 10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
Flakey salt
Dried or fresh herbs (such as rosemary or thyme)

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together water, yeast, and honey. Let stand until very foamy, about 5 minutes.
To the bowl, add flour and salt. Stir together with a spatula until all of the flour is moistened and a very sticky dough forms.
Coat another large bowl with 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add the dough to the bowl and gently turn it a couple of times to coat in oil. Cover and chill for 12 to 18 hours. Alternatively, rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 2 hours. (A long fridge rise will result in a more flavorful bread, but both will be delicious!)
Once risen, lightly oil your hands. Tuck your fingers under the dough on one side and fold the dough up and over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter-turn, and repeat. Turn and fold 2 more times for a total of 4 folds.
Brush two 13x9-inch baking pans each with 1 tablespoons olive oil or an 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer dough to the baking pans, dividing it in half if using 2 pans. Gently stretch the dough to the edges of the pans by tucking your fingers under the dough and gently lifting up and pulling it. (The dough may spring back and not totally touch the edges.)
Let the dough rise again until puffed and bubbly, 1 to 2 hours, stretching the dough every 30 minutes until it fills the pan.
Preheat the oven to 450F after about 1 hour into the second rise.
Drizzle the risen focaccia with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Gently spread the oil to coat the top of the dough with your fingers. Stretch and push the dough to touch the edges if it hasn’t filled the pan during the last rise. Press your fingertips into the dough creating dimples all over. (You can be aggressive!)
Sprinkle with flaked salt and herbs, if desired.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top and sides or golden brown. You can drizzle the bread right out of the oven with a few more tablespoons of oil, if desired. Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely on the rack. Store leftovers in an airtight container or tightly wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Toast leftovers before serving again.

Video

Notes

The dough will be soft and sticky- don’t fret! This bread has a high moisture content, meaning it will likely stick to your hands and the bowl a bit at the beginning of the process. Oil the bowl and your hands well, but don’t worry if it sticks occasionally.
Don’t be timid when stretching and dimpling the bread. Intentionally work the dough as you stretch it to fill the pan, as the dough will be a bit elastic and spring back when stretched. Don’t be afraid to press into the dough when dimpling! You don’t want to poke holes through the dough, but you should press your fingers down until you feel the bottom of the pan.
For an extra crispy crust and added prevention against the crust sticking to the pan, rub the bottom of the pan or pans with 2 tablespoons of softened butter before drizzling with olive oil.

Nutrition