In a quick glance on google, it seems focaccia bread is not normally kneaded? So, this is a no-knead, but i think that’s normal?
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 625 g all-purpose flour – about 5 cups
- 580 g lukewarm water – about 2 ½ cups
- 1 Tbsp coarse kosher salt
- 6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil – divided
- 1 Tbsp butter
Directions
- Whisk active dry yeast, honey, and lukewarm water in a medium bowl and let sit 5 minutes. If the yeast has not started to foam, get fresher yeast and start over.
- Add flour and salt to the bowl and mix with a rubber spatula until well incorporated. It should be the consistency of a very thick lumpy batter. It wont be smooth, but it will be wet.
- Pour 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into a large bowl, more than double the volume of the dough, that will fit in your refrigerator. Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight (at least 8 hours) and up to 1 day.
- Generously butter a 13×9″ baking pan, for thicker focaccia that’s perfect for sandwiches, or an 18×13″ rimmed baking sheet, for focaccia that’s thinner, crispier. Once buttered, pour 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into center of pan.
- Take the bowl of refrigerated dough and using a fork in each hand, gather up edges of dough farthest from you and lift up and over into center of bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat process. Do this 2 more times; you want to deflate dough while you form it into a rough ball.
- Transfer dough to the prepared pan. Pour any oil left in bowl over and turn dough to coat it in oil. Let rise, uncovered, until doubled in size, at least 1 ½ hours and up to 4 hours.
- Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450° F. To see if the dough is ready, poke it with your finger. It should spring back slowly, leaving a small visible indentation. If it springs back quickly, the dough isn’t ready. Dimple focaccia all over with your fingers, like you’re aggressively playing the piano, creating very deep depressions in the dough. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil. Bake focaccia until puffed and golden brown all over, 20–30 minutes.
