Ingredients
- 2 cups (300g) bread flour (or plain/all-purpose flour)
- 1 1/8 teaspoons (3.5g) instant yeast (rapid rise yeast)
- 3/4 teaspoon (4.5g) cooking salt or kosher salt
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (280 ml) very warm water (1/3 cup boiling water + cold tap water to top up)
- Topping:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon (heaped) sea salt flakes (or a couple pinches of regular salt)
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Mix with a spatula. Add warm water and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be very sticky and loose—like thick muffin batter.
- Rise #1: Cover with cling wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 2 hours or until doubled in volume. Alternatively, refrigerate for 24–48 hours.
- Prepare pan: Grease a 26.5 x 20 x 5 cm (10.5 x 8 x 2”) metal baking pan with butter. Line with scrunched and flattened baking paper, leaving overhang for lifting later. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon olive oil into the pan and spread it around.
- Transfer dough: Pour the dough into the pan using two rubber spatulas. Spread it as best you can—it will fill the pan during the next rise.
- Rise #2: Cover with a flat cutting board or tray (ensuring enough room for the dough to rise) and let it rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes until increased by 50–70%. You should see large bubbles.
- Preheat oven: Halfway through the second rise, preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan) with a rack in the middle.
- Top & dimple: Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the surface. Lightly rub it across with your fingers. Gently dimple the dough by pressing only about 1 cm / 0.4” deep—don’t press all the way through. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
- Bake: Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pan at the 15-minute mark, until deep golden brown.
- Cool: Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out using the paper and transfer to a wire rack. Cool an additional 10 minutes before serving warm.
Notes
- Use bread flour for best texture, but AP flour works too.
- Be gentle when dimpling to maintain air pockets for a bubbly interior.
- Serve warm with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or use for sandwiches and toasties.
- Optional toppings: rosemary, olives, cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions, or garlic can be added before baking.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of focaccia
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 310 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
