Overnight, Refrigerator Focaccia = The Best Focaccia Bread Recipe
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Cold, refrigerated dough is the secret to making delicious focaccia! Allowing the dough to rest 18 to 48 hours in the fridge will yield extra-pillowy and airy focaccia, though if you are pressed for time, you can make this start-to-finish in 3 hours. This 4-ingredient recipe requires only 5 minutes of hands-on time. Video guidance below!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review:
“Love this recipe! I’ve made this so many times that I’ve lost count. Super simple and delicious. My family loves it. Whenever someone asks me for a focaccia recipe, I always show them this one. This recipe is awesome. Thank you for sharing!” — Lucy
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: focaccia is the bread recipe for beginners. Why? Because:
- The no-knead, 4-ingredient dough takes 5 minutes to mix together.
- It requires no special equipment, no tricky shaping technique, and no scoring.
- If you have a 9×13-inch baking pan and your fingertips (for dimpling), you’re good to go.
- It emerges soft and pillowy, olive oil-crusted, golden all around, and it’s completely irresistible.
In sum, it’s hard to beat focaccia (pronounced foh-kah-chuh) in the effort-to-reward category. If you are intimidated by bread baking, this is the recipe I suggest making first, both for its simplicity and flavor. After all, this focaccia bread recipe is adapted from my mother’s simple peasant bread recipe, a recipe that has removed the fear of the bread baking process for many.
For the past few months, I’ve been making the focaccia bread recipe from my cookbook Bread Toast Crumbs, but changing the method: using more yeast, using less yeast, doing longer, slower rises at room temperature, doing longer, slower rises in the refrigerator. Find the results below.
This post is organized as follows:
- What Makes The Best Focaccia
- Four Tips for Success
- How This Focaccia Recipe Differs from Others
- Focaccia Bread Ingredients
- How to Make Focaccia, Step by Step
- Adding Rosemary, Herbs and Other Toppings to your Focaccia Dough
- How to Make a Focaccia Bread Art
- Tomato Focaccia
- How to Make a Focaccia Bread Sandwich
- Can I Skip the Overnight Rise?
PS: Once you master this simple focaccia, try your hand at this simple sourdough bread recipe, another recipe that requires minimal effort but yields spectacular results.
What Makes The Best Focaccia?
I’ll spare you all the details of the various experiments and skip straight to what I’ve found creates the best focaccia, one that emerges golden all around, looking like a brain, its surface woven with a winding labyrinth of deep crevices: high-hydration, refrigerated dough.
This is nothing novel—many bakers extol the virtues of the cold fermentation process—and it came as no surprise to me either: it was, after all, past-prime Jim Lahey refrigerated dough that showed me how easy focaccia could be: place cold, several-days-old pizza dough in a well-oiled pan, let it rise for several hours or until it doubles, drizzle with more oil, dimple with your fingers, sprinkle with sea salt, then bake until done.
Employing a refrigerator rise requires more time because the cold environment slows everything down initially, and during the second rise, the cold dough takes time to warm to room temperature. The overall effort, however, is very hands-off, and the result — a light, airy, pillowy dough — is well worth it.
As important as refrigerating the dough is using a high hydration dough, meaning a dough with a high proportion of water relative to the flour. The high proportion of water will create a dough with beautiful air pockets throughout. (Incidentally, this is the secret to making excellent pizza dough as well as light, airy sourdough sandwich bread.)
How This Focaccia Recipe Differs from Others
There are lots of focaccia bread recipes out there, so why make this one? This one differs from many of the recipes out there in two ways:
- The long, cold, refrigerator rise.
- The absence of sugar or honey or any sort of sweetener.
Why isn’t there any sweetener in this recipe? Simply stated, a sweetener is just not needed — the yeast, contrary to popular belief, does not need sugar to activate or thrive. Sugar will speed things up, but when you’re employing a long, slow rise, speed is not the name of the game.
Moreover, and this is getting a little scientific, but during the long, cold fermentation: enzymes in both the flour and the yeast will break down the starches in the flour into simple sugars, which will contribute both to flavor and to browning, again rendering sugar unnecessary. Cool, right?
Four Tips for Success
- Allowing the dough to rest 18 to 24 hours in the fridge yields the best results. (You can leave the dough in the fridge for as long as 72 hours.)
- A buttered or parchment-lined pan in addition to the olive oil will prevent sticking. When I use Pyrex or other glass pans, butter plus oil is essential to prevent sticking. When I use my 9×13-inch USA Pan, I can get away with using olive oil alone.
- Count on 2 to 4 hours for the second rise. This will depend on the temperature of your kitchen and the time of year.
- After the second rise, dimple the dough, then immediately stick the pans in the oven — this has been a critical difference for me in terms of keeping those desirable crevices. If you dimple and let the dough rise again even for 20 minutes before popping the pan in the oven, the crevices begin to dissolve.
Ingredients
- Flour: bread flour or all-purpose flour will work equally well here. If you live in a humid environment or abroad, I suggest trying to get your hands on bread flour. King Arthur Flour is my preference.
- Yeast: SAF Instant Yeast is my preference, but active dry yeast works just as well. See recipe box for instructions on how to use active-dry yeast in place of instant.
- Salt: I say this all the time, but a big part of making a good loaf of bread comes down simply to using the right amount of salt given the amount of flour you are using by weight. It’s like anything: bread has to be well seasoned. At a minimum, use 10 grams (2 teaspoons) of salt for every 500 grams (4 cups) of flour. I highly recommend investing in some good, flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top of the focaccia dough — it tastes better than the more finely ground varieties of salt. I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for the dough, but any salt you have on hand will work just fine for the dough.
- Water: There is a lot of water in this dough — it’s 88% hydration — and all of that water helps produce a light, airy, pillowy dough.
- Olive oil: Olive oil both in the bottom of the pan and on top of the dough is essential for encouraging nice browning, flavor, and that quintessential oiliness we all love about focaccia.
- Rosemary or other seasonings: Rosemary is a classic focaccia topping, and you can either sprinkle it over the dough before baking or you can chop it up and add it to the dough. Many people love sun-dried tomatoes and olives in their focaccia. See below for how to incorporate these other ingredients into your focaccia dough.
How to Make Focaccia Bread, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients: 4 cups (512 g) flour, 2 teaspoons (10 g) salt, 2 teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast (SAF is my preference), 2 cups (455 g) water:
Whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast first:
Add the water:
Use a spatula to stir the two together.
Slick the dough with olive oil:
Slick the surface of the dough with olive oil; then cover the bowl. You all have one of these, right? Stick the bowl in the fridge immediately; leave it there to rise for 12 to 18 hours (or longer—I’ve left it there for as long as three days). NOTE: It is important the dough really be slicked with olive oil especially if you are using a cloth bowl cover or tea towel as opposed to plastic wrap or the lid pictured in the photo below this one. If you are using a tea towel, consider securing it with a rubber band to make a more airtight cover. If you do not slick the dough with enough oil, you risk the dough drying out and forming a crust over the top layer.
Another option: the lid that comes with the 4-Qt Pyrex bowl. This is handy for fridge storage because you can stack things on top of it.
Remove from fridge, and remove the cover:
Deflate the dough and transfer to a prepared pan. I love this 9×13-inch USA pan. If you don’t have one you can use two 8- or 9-inch pie plates or something similar. If you are using glass baking dishes be sure to grease the dishes with butter before pouring a tablespoon of olive oil into each. (The butter will ensure the bread doesn’t stick.) Don’t touch the dough again for 2 to 4 hours depending on your environment.
After two to four hours, or when the dough looks like this…:
… it’s time to dimple it! You can use simply olive oil and salt — I recommend good, flaky sea salt for this. Note, the dough in the photo below spent three days in the fridge, and the dough was super bubbly!
if you are using rosemary, sprinkle it over the dough. Then pour two tablespoons of olive oil over the dough, and using your fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt — again, something like Maldon is great here.
Transfer to oven immediately and bake at 425ºF for 25 minutes or until golden all around. Remove focaccia from pans and place on cooling racks.
How to Incorporate Rosemary, Herbs, and Other Ingredients & Toppings into Your Focaccia Dough
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is: How can I add other toppings or ingredients to my focaccia bread? You can do this in two ways:
- Add them on top as you would rosemary or other herbs. The key is to make sure the ingredients are slicked lightly with olive oil to ensure they do not burn in the oven. I like to sprinkle the rosemary over top of the dough, then drizzle it with olive oil, then dimple the dough.
- You can add them directly to the dough. In step one, when you whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast, add your ingredients — chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic — to the flour and toss to coat; then add the water.
How to Make a Focaccia Bread Art
Pictured above is my “Ode to Spring” (🤣) Focaccia Bread Art (or Garden Scape). As noted above, the key with adding toppings is to slick them lightly with olive oil to ensure they don’t completely char. Keep in mind that some items will char, and a little charring is not a bad thing.
To make a focaccia bread art:
- Follow the recipe through the step in which you dimple the dough just before baking. Arrange your toppings — sliced peppers, asparagus, scallions, olives, tomatoes, onions, etc. — over top and dimple again, pressing the ingredients into the dough to embed them — you can be more aggressive than you think.
- Brush the entire surface with olive oil; then sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake as directed.
Tomato Focaccia
Pictured above is a cross between pissaladière and tomato focaccia. I love the addition of tomatoes to pissaladière because it adds a freshness and brightness, a hit of acidity to offset the sweet caramelized onions and salty anchovies, olives, and capers.
You can use any summer tomatoes you have on hand — diced cherry tomatoes, Roma, plum, sliced beefsteak tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, etc. If you choose to dice up Roma or plum tomatoes, there is no need to seed them, but leave any juices lingering on the cutting board behind.
Top the unbaked focaccia with a thin layer of tomatoes; then bake as directed.
How to Make Focaccia Bread Sandwiches
One of my favorite things to do with either the rounds of focaccia or the 9×13-inch slab of focaccia is to make a giant sandwich: simply halve the whole finished loaf of focaccia in half crosswise; fill it as you wish, close the sandwich; then slice and serve.
Here’s one of my favorites: Roasted Red Peppers, Olive Tapenade, & Whipped Honey Goat Cheese
Can I Make this Overnight Focaccia Without the Overnight Rise?
Yes, you can. In fact, in my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs, I do not employ an overnight rise. Start-to-finish it can be made in about three hours. The finished bread will not be as pillowy, but it will still be light, airy, and delicious.
To skip the overnight rise, simply let the mixed dough rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Then proceed with the recipe, knowing the second rise will only take about 30 minutes.
The Best, Easiest Focaccia Bread Recipe
- Total Time: 18 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves
Description
Cold, refrigerated dough is the secret to making delicious focaccia! Allowing the dough to rest 18 to 24 hours in the fridge will yield extra-pillowy and airy focaccia, though if you are pressed for time, you can make this start-to-finish in 3 hours. This 4-ingredient recipe requires only 5 minutes of hands-on time. Video guidance below!
Adapted from the focaccia recipe in Bread Toast Crumbs.
A few notes:
- Plan ahead: While you certainly could make this more quickly, it turns out especially well if you mix the dough the day before you plan on baking it. The second rise, too, takes 2 to 4 hours.
- If you are short on time and need to make the focaccia tonight: Let the mixed dough rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Then proceed with the recipe, knowing the second rise will only take about 30 minutes.
- You can use various pans to make this focaccia such as: two 9-inch Pyrex pie plates. (Use butter + oil to prevent sticking.) One 9×13-inch pan, such as this USA pan — do not split the dough in half, if you use this option, which will create a thicker focaccia . A 13×18-inch rimmed sheet pan — this creates a thinner focaccia, which is great for slab sandwiches.
- As always, for best results, use a digital scale to measure the flour and water.
- I love SAF instant yeast. I buy it in bulk, transfer it to a quart storage container, and store it in my fridge for months. You can store it in the freezer also.
- If you are using active-dry yeast, simply sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm water and let it stand for 15 minutes or until it gets foamy; then proceed with the recipe.
- Flour: You can use all-purpose or bread flour here with great results. If you live in a humid environment, I would suggest using bread flour. If you are in Canada or the UK, also consider using bread flour or consider holding back some of the water. Reference the video for how the texture of the bread should look; then add water back as needed.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (512 g) all-purpose flour or bread flour, see notes above
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast, see notes above if using active dry
- 2 cups (455 g) lukewarm water, made by combining 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 1/2 cups cold water
- butter for greasing
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
- 1 to 2 teaspoons whole rosemary leaves, optional
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Rub the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, cloth bowl cover, or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator immediately for at least 12 hours or for as long as three days. (See notes above if you need to skip the overnight rise for time purposes.) NOTE: It is important the dough really be slicked with olive oil especially if you are using a cloth bowl cover or tea towel as opposed to plastic wrap or a hard lid. If you are using a tea towel, consider securing it with a rubber band to make a more airtight cover. If you do not slick the dough with enough oil, you risk the dough drying out and forming a crust over the top layer.
- Line two 8- or 9-inch pie plates or a 9×13-inch pan (see notes above) with parchment paper or grease with butter or coat with nonstick cooking spray. (Note: This greasing step may seem excessive, but with some pans, it is imperative to do so to prevent sticking. With my USA pans, I can get away with olive oil alone; with my glass baking dishes, butter is a must.)
- Pour a tablespoon of oil into the center of each pan or 2 tablespoons of oil if using the 9×13-inch pan. Using two forks, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl in quarter turns as you deflate, turning the mass into a rough ball. Use the forks to split the dough into two equal pieces (or do not split if using the 9×13-inch pan). Place one piece into one of the prepared pans. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over, forming a rough ball. Repeat with the remaining piece. Let the dough balls rest for 3 to 4 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen (Note: no need to cover for this room temperature rise).
- Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 425°F. If using the rosemary, sprinkle it over the dough. Pour a tablespoon of oil over each round of dough (or two tablespoons if using a 9×13-inch pan). Rub your hands lightly in the oil to coat, then, using all of your fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples. If necessary, gently stretch the dough as you dimple to allow the dough to fill the pan. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt all over.
- Transfer the pans or pan to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp. Remove the pans or pan from the oven and transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack. Let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving; let it cool completely if you are halving it with the intention of making a sandwich.
- Prep Time: 18 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
4,184 Comments on “Overnight, Refrigerator Focaccia = The Best Focaccia Bread Recipe”
This is my go to recipe now. I’ve made it countless times since I discovered it last fall. I usually bring it as a hostess gift with a bottle of wine. My only comment is that you can use less olive oil and still get amazing results!
Great to hear, Maria! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Hello, how would i go about doing this focaccia without the overnight refrigerator rise? Thanks!
Hi! After you mix the dough, let it rise at room temperature or in a warm spot in your kitchen for about 2 hours. After the first rise, punch it down, shape it into a ball, turn it out into the prepared pan (buttered; then oiled); then let it rise until it’s puffy, 30-40 minutes (maybe less, maybe more). Then dimple and bake!
Thank you for the recipe and the instructions, and the introduction to flake salt. I followed your recipe to the tea end it truly was the hit for my friends sitting around the table can cutting it into cubes , putting it on the table turntable and giving everybody a side dish of dipping olive oil and spices.
My only question is your bread has green in it and I don’t see that listed anywhere in the recipe. Is that in your olive oil? I do tend to skim things fast so I apologize if I missed it.
Hi Mark! So great to hear all of this. Regarding your question, can you clarify? Does the bread look green in the photos to you? I’m not sure what you’re referring to regarding the green. Let me know!
I think it is the dark lines in the bread that took a green tint on my screen and made it look like an herb was baked in. Sorry about that, Your bread in the pictures looks amazing and the recipe is scrumptious! Thank you.
Ok, got it! No worries at all. Lots of people love adding fresh or dried rosemary on top before baking. You can also add chopped herbs to the dough if you wish. So glad you like this one.
This is a great recipe, also nice to have the option, that if u do not want yo take
The 12 to 18 hours method for it to rise, u can use a shorter method.
Great to hear, Mary!
Dear,
I just mixed the dough and put it in the fridge. But my dough looks way wetter. I used the same amount of Water and an AP flour with 11,2% protein. Maybe I should try a stronger bread flour next time?
I’m sure it will work out great though!
By the way, the focaccia came out absolutely gorgeous and tasty.
Next time I might lower the hydration a bit or go for a higher protein% flour. I will also ad a lot of rosemary & thyme directly to the dough when mixing.
Wonderful to hear, Michiel! And yes: either of the changes you mention will work: less water or a higher protein flour. Thanks for reporting back!
How does one go about finding the protein % in their APF? I’m new to making bread. While I’ve been successful it hasn’t been easy. Not regarding this recipe but when I make a dough using APF my dough never looks the same as the recipe I’m following at certain stages. Basically it’s very wet while theirs is not. I looked on the bags of flour I have but I can’t find anything that states the protein level. I know the higher the protein the better. At least for the doughs I’ve been making. I would love to give yours a go but before I do I want to make sure my protein level is on the high side. Can you please tell me how I can go about finding that info? Thanks for your time…
Hi Tammie! Some brands don’t disclose the protein content on the actual bag. King Arthur Flour always does, and I highly recommend using either their bread flour or ap flour for this recipe. One reason your dough might not look the same could have to do with how you are measuring. Are you using a scale?
Does adding the salt and the yeast together run the danger of the salt killing the yeast?
Nope! Many many recipes call for keeping the two separate, but you really don’t need to. I’ve never had an issue.
Great recipe. It’s easy and yummy. A new favorite staple!
Wonderful to hear, Adria!
Hello! I have made this bread so many times during quarantine, it is my first very successful bread making milestone! I would like to try to incorporate whole wheat flour into the recipe. I tried keeping everything the same but i used half whole wheat flour, and i noticed the dough was a lot drier than usual, and the bread was not as fluffy and didn’t rise as tall. How would you go about successfully incorporating whole wheat flour? Thank you very much.
Hi! Yes, whole wheat flour will definitely make for a drier, less fluffy bread. I would start with maybe 1 cup of whole wheat flour (128 g); then add more incrementally based on your results. Also, before you do this, you may want to read this post: Easy Sourdough Bread (Whole Wheat-ish)
Commercial whole wheat flour isn’t necessarily more nutritious than commercial bread flour. What type of whole wheat flour are you using?
Hello, thanks for your recipe!
I tried it today, and outside it looked exactly like yours but it was a bit on the rawer side?
It wasn’t airy at all, did I have to let it cool before serving?
Hi Sonya, yes, definitely let it cool before cutting into it, but it sounds as though it might not have been baked enough. Did you make any other changes to the recipe? What type of flour did you use and did you use a scale?
I used a scale, and I used focaccia flour!
I am trying a new batch with all purpose flour, I hope it comes out better this time.
I live in Italy so I have to find the right type of flour to do it maybe?
I baked 25 minutes, so next I’m gonna try baking a few more minutes.
I ate it anyway ahah it was crunchy and tasty on the outside as I wanted it!
OK, great, keep me posted! Yeah, I think it’s a matter of getting the ratio of water right relative to the flour you use. Hope the AP flour worked out well!
Hi Alexandra, have made this recipe countless times and it’s just perfect! Could I use the same as pizza dough as well?
Shahza, yes! This is essentially the recipe I use for my pizza dough. My pizza dough recipe calls for half the amount of yeast, but otherwise, it’s the same proportions. Here’s the recipe for skillet pizzas (same dough, different baking technique).
I finally found my go-to recipe! Thank you, thank you. I usually make my focaccia with bread flour, but this time I didn’t. Any thoughts on what the differences might be if using bread flour?
The difference when using bread flour and ap flour in this recipe is very subtle. You may find that when you use bread flour with this recipe the dough will be slightly stiffer than when you use all-purpose flour, but the resulting focaccia will be very, very similar.
Thanks, Ali!
This is the second time I have made it and it has quickl become a once a week recipe. Thank you so much. It is easy and delicious!
Great to hear, Cheryl! Thanks so much for writing!
Can one sub cake flour? What happens to it?
Hi Ang, I think you might not get the same texture in the dough — I’m not sure cake flour will produce those pockets of air and that billowy texture that is so nice in focaccia.
This bread is one of those magnificent recipes that once you’ve tried it and seen the reactions of your family and friends you stash it in the place you reserve for “must make often” special finds. This recipe is truly a keeper! Thank you, Ali!.
So nice to hear this, Patty 🙂 🙂 🙂 Love this. Thanks so much for writing.
This looks absolutely delicious! Would I double the recipe to bake it on a 15x21x1 sheet pan?
Hi Ryan! Yes, I would.
I made this using Einkorn all purpose flour. While not quite as full of holes, it turned out beautifully and oh, so delicious!!! Thank you!
Wowww! This recipe is amazing.. beginner baker friendly!
It’s very customizable for toppings though rosemary and salt are the best!
And the crust.. the crust is out of this world!
10/10 will make this all the time!
Wonderful to hear this, Amber! Thanks for writing 🙂
This is my family’s FAVORITE bread recipe of all time! SO easy & always turns out great! I made two batches (4 loaves) that I baked last night. There is one left!
Do you have the nutrition info for this recipe? A friend has health issues & needs it.
Thank you so much! Jan
So great to hear this, Jan! Thanks for writing. I don’t have the nutrition info for this, but I love this website for calculating it: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
They make it super easy! Hope that helps.
Hello !
Thank you for the recipe,it is sooo delicious!
I’m at my second try, and i never succeed at forming a ball with the dough. The dough is too loose and sticky . It works too but i can’t form those iconic holes . How can i fix that for the next time ? 🙂
Thank you so so much !
Hi Lou! I think you need to decrease the water amount. Depending on your environment and the flour you are using, you may just need less water. I would try holding back 25-50 grams to start.
can I use this dough to make pizza?
Hello, would you ever consider adding LDMP (Dry Malt (Diastatic) baking Powder) to this recipe? I have seen a lot of great things about that stuff. If so, what kind of percentage would you consider using? Thanks!
Hi! And sure?! I generally try to keep my bread does very simple: flour, water, salt, yeast, etc. I never use Vital Wheat Gluten or other dough strengtheners mostly for simplicity sake. But that doesn’t mean anything! If you’ve read good things about it, give it a shot. Though I like to keep things simple, I also am constantly experimenting and changing my methods!
The recipe in your book has 1 t yeast, rises, then is baked the same day,
This recipe has more yeast (2 t), has a slow rise and is baked the next day. Isn’t it usually the other way around….any reason why more yeast is used here for a slow overnight rise. I am about to make it and will use this one…..but it is a bit confusing. Thanks.
That is confusing! I suppose my thought process was that focaccia doesn’t need as much yeast as say a loaf of bread, because it’s on the shorter side. So for the short, room-temperature rise, 1 teaspoon yeast will suffice.
With the fridge rise, because the dough goes immediately into the fridge, I think my reasoning was that it needs a little bit more yeast to help it along in the cold environment.
What I have learned these past few years is that the amount of yeast doesn’t really matter. If you use 2 teaspoons yeast for the room-temperature rise and 1 teaspoon yeast for the fridge rise, you’ll likely get similar results.
Hope this helps!
Hi I’m wondering if you don’t have 2 pans you can use the remaining dough for pizza dough?
Yes, absolutely! This is essentially the dough I use for my pizza dough recipe.
I made this with bread flour and it turned out amazing. Very soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. I added fresh rosemary and minced garlic to the olive oil before baking. I ate half of it in one day!
So nice to hear this, Ashley! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
This is the best focaccia recipe. I noticed the author loves to make slab sandwiches with the finished product. If you’ve never tried putting the inside of the dough on the outside of the sandwich and pan frying it in olive oil to make a panini, I highly recommend this technique. Enjoy!
Oh my goodness, Max, I love this idea!! Cannot wait to try it!!
WOW. literally perfection. Couldn’t believe how easy it was? Made dough Sunday lunch, took out the fridge Monday afternoon and baked Monday night, couldn’t believe there was no kneading it came out so perfect – YUM! I added kalamata olives to the top too
Wonderful to hear this, Alice! Love kalamata olives. Thanks so much for writing!
Hey there, my focaccia turned out to be quite gummy on the inside. I let the dough proof for around 2.5 hours after fermentation overnight in the fridge. Did I underproof my dough? Any tips on how to know when the dough has been properly proofed?
Hi Vivian! It’s possible that the dough underproofed. Questions for you: What type of flour are you using? Are you using a scale? After you pulled the dough from the fridge had it roughly doubled in volume? Finally: what type/material pan are you using?
I’m using all purpose flour and I used a scale to measure my ingredients. The dough was double the size when I took it out of the fridge. I’m using a 8.5 inch round steel pan for baking it.
OK, great to hear all of this. Did you bake the entire batch of dough in one 8.5-inch pan?
I actually halved the recipe and put the dough I made in the steel pan
OK, it sounds as though you are doing everything right! Next time I would try to push the proofing phase a little bit longer. The dough should be very puffy and ballooned before you dimple it. If you haven’t watched the video, scroll ahead to the dimpling part. It might help you better gauge when your dough is ready.
Hi Looks great- want to try it for an Italian family meal this weekend! Can I use regular yeast rather than instant?
Thanks Paula
Hi Paula! Yes. Sprinkle the active dry yeast (is that what you mean by regular yeast?) over the lukewarm water. Let it stand for 15 minutes or until it gets foamy; then proceed with the recipe.
I love the way your brain focaccia looks! Do you think the dough is strong enough to handle small, success olives in the dough? I’m thinking after the overnight rise and mixing in when I deflate and put into cooking pan and then pressing half pieces into the top right before cooking?
Hi Karen! Apologies for the delay here. Yes, absolutely: Lots of people add olives. I think your method sounds perfect.
Can use an iron skillet to bake it in? If so at what temp? thanks
Hi Jessica! Yes, same temperature. What size is it? And are you planning on baking the entire batch of dough in the one skillet?