Focaccia
Updated Jan. 10, 2023
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, plus resting and rising
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 3¼cups/415 grams all-purpose flour
- 1tablespoon kosher salt
- ½teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1¾cups/420 milliliters warm water
- 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
- 1½teaspoons coarse sea salt
- Whole or chopped fresh rosemary leaves, dried oregano, fennel seeds, herbes de Provence or other dried herbs, for garnish (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)
2030 calories; 60 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 40 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 323 grams carbohydrates; 16 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 44 grams protein; 2136 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt and yeast. Add the warm water to the flour mixture and stir until all the flour is incorporated and a sticky dough forms. (Expect a very wet dough; no kneading required.) Pour 2 tablespoons oil into a medium bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turn to coat, and cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 24 hours or for up to 2 days.
- Step 2
When you’re ready to bake, brush the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with oil. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer to the prepared pan. Using your hands, spread the dough out as much as possible, adding oil to the dough if needed to keep it from sticking. (Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t yet cover the full pan; it will once it relaxes and rises.) Place the dough in a warm place and let rise until about doubled in bulk. The rising time will vary considerably depending on the season. (In the summer, it may take only 20 minutes for the dough to warm up and rise; in the winter, it can take 1 hour or more.) When the dough is ready, it should be room temperature, spread out on the sheet and fluffy.
- Step 3
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Using your palms, pat down the focaccia to an even thickness of about 1 inch, then, using your fingertips, dimple the entire dough. Drizzle it with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle the entire surface of the focaccia evenly with the sea salt and herbs, if using.
- Step 4
Bake, rotating once front to back, until the top is uniformly golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the focaccia on the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool, then slide out of the pan. Enjoy it hot. (Focaccia deteriorates in quality after the first day. If there is some left over, wrap it tightly in plastic and store at room temperature for another day. Day-old focaccia is delicious in soup.)
- To make a focaccia garden, prepare your vegetables as the dough rises in Step 2. Be creative in working with what you have: Peppers make great petals. Tomatoes do, too, but you might want to drain them before you put them on the dough. Chives and scallions make great stems. Experiment with olives and seeds, purple potatoes, and red onions. Whatever your fancy, cut your decorations a little thick, about ⅛ inch, and dip any fresh herbs in lemon water to keep the colors vibrant as they bake. Arrange the vegetables over the focaccia after you dimple the dough in Step 3. Press them into the dough gently, then drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and proceed with the rest of the recipe. You may need to increase your baking time, depending on your amount of decorative toppings.
Private Notes
Comments
Also check out the recipe David Tanis has for the Zuni Cafe focaccia. It's not as wet a dough, and the EVOO and rosemary incorporated into the dough make it especially delicious. And you can make it with about 1/3 whole wheat flour with no problems.
Am I missing something here? I followed this recipe to a T and it did not turn out well - the focaccia did not rise. I suspect a lack of proofing in Step 1 is to blame. I used a newly opened jar of active yeast that has not expired, and tested it after I saw how the recipe turned out - it was alive. I will make again and proof the yeast in step 1 but I don't currently recommend this recipe.
I read through comments and saw that someone suggested resting on your counter for the majority and then resting in the fridge for the last couple hours. This made it work perfectly. I would also suggest that you go light on the salt in the dough and that you mix the salt in fully before you add the yeast so that you don't kill the yeast. With these slight alterations the recipe works out great.
Made the mistake of using a full sheet pan when the recipe calls for a half. Mea culpa! Still turned out tasty, if thin. I look forward to making it again correctly!
The first time I made this, I followed the instructions, measured everything by weight, and the dough only produced a few bubbles but did not rise. It resulted in a flatbread like focaccia. My kitchen sits at 76 degrees in a humid environment. Determined to make this recipe work, I tried again by blooming the yeast with a small amount of water and a pinch of sugar. I left the dough on the counter for 2-3 hours and the dough had yet to rise but had formed a few bubbles. I temped the dough and it was reading 71 degrees. I took it outside where it sat in 84 degree weather for 2.5 hours and this did the trick. The resulting focaccia was flavorful and the texture was perfect.
No issues either thr amount of yeast or issues woth proofing when using active instantly yeast. The dough did need quite a bit of time to come to temperature but turned out beautifully