Focaccia Recipe

Focaccia is an Italian flatbread made with a simple olive oil-enriched dough that proofs in a baking tin, creating a thick, open-crumbed bread with a crisp, olive-oil-fried bottom and dimpled top. It's one of the most forgiving breads a home baker can make — the dough is very wet, handled mostly by folding rather than kneading, and is highly tolerant of variation in timing and technique. The result is deeply satisfying: golden, chewy, salty, and richly flavored with olive oil. The dough is made from strong flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. The high hydration — typically 75 to 80% water to flour — produces the characteristic open, airy crumb. After mixing, the dough undergoes a series of stretch-and-fold cycles every 30 minutes rather than traditional kneading. Each fold builds structure and develops the gluten without making the dough tough. After the folds, the dough cold-proofs in the refrigerator overnight, which improves flavor significantly. The next day, pour olive oil generously into the baking tin — more than you think is necessary. Turn the dough into the pan and gently stretch it to fill the tin. Let it proof for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature until puffed and bubbly. Dimple the surface all over with your fingers, pressing firmly to the bottom of the tin. Drizzle more olive oil over the top, scatter flaky sea salt, and add any toppings — rosemary, olives, cherry tomatoes, or caramelised onions. Bake at 220°C (430°F) for 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden on top and the bottom, when lifted with a spatula, is dark and crisp. The bottom should be fried rather than just baked — that's the olive oil doing its work.