Ingredients
Directions 10 steps | 410 Minutes
Activate the yeast. In one cup of lukewarm water, stir in yeast and sugar. Wait five minutes until foamy.
In a large bowl, add the activated yeast and the rest of the water.
Gradually add in the flour and olive oil. Mix everything with your whisk or your hands for five minutes.
Add the salt. Mix the ingredients until the dough starts to slightly detach from the bowl. Note that the dough will be sticky.
Cover the dough with a damp towel and let the dough rise for two hours at room temperature. Transfer the dough into the refrigerator for at least six hours, ideally 12. The longer the rising process, the lighter and more bubbly your dough will be.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and onto an oiled counter. The texture of your dough might still be fluffy and not very compact. Wet your hand with some olive oil and fold the dough like you are trying to fold a t-shirt. Folding the dough creates a stronger gluten chain and keeps all the air pockets created during the rise. Fold the dough four to six times.
Shape the dough into a round silhouette and place it into an oiled bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare an 18" x 26" baking tray either by lining it with parchment paper or oiling it with olive oil. Transfer the dough onto the baking tray and push down with your fingertips, dimpling the dough. Drizzle three tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle the flaky sea salt. Season the dough with freshly chopped rosemary.
Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes. Check that the dough is fully cooked, your oven may need a few more minutes. Turn your oven to broil and broil your focaccia on the top rack for 3-5 minutes or until golden.
Let the focaccia cool on a wire rack for five minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Notes:
You can create different varieties of focaccia by changing the toppings.
- For a rosemary potato focaccia, top your dough with two sprigs of rosemary, one finely sliced potato, three tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of flaky sea salt.
- For an onion and oregano focaccia, top your dough with three sprigs of fresh oregano, one finely sliced medium red onion, three tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of flaky sea salt.
- For a garlic and Parmesan focaccia, top your dough with five tablespoons of Parmesan, 2 cloves of finely sliced garlic, three tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of flaky sea salt.
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