Focaccia
Notes
- Baking time for fava variation is likely 25+ minutes, to ensure a crunchy crust.
Yield
One 18” x 13” sheet pan.
Ingredients
- 600 g bread flour
- 20 g yeast
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 400 mL water
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing and drizzling
Steps
- Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add water and mix on low speed, scraping down sides and hook as needed to incorporate any dry flour, until a shaggy dough forms. Add olive oil.
- Increase speed to medium and continue to mix until dough is extremely elastic and very sticky (it will look more like a thick batter and will stick to sides of bowl), about 5 minutes.
- Pour enough olive oil into a large (preferably glass) bowl to coat sides. Scrape in dough with a large spatula or flexible bench scraper. Cover and place in a warm spot until dough is doubled in volume, about an hour.
- Drizzle enough olive oil over a 13x18” sheet pan to cover entire surface, then use fingertips to rub all over bottom and sides. Using large spatula or flexible bench scraper, fold dough inside bowl a couple of times to deflate, then scrape onto prepared baking sheet.
- With oiled hands, gently stretch dough (to avoid tearing) across length and width of baking sheet in an even layer, working all the way to edges and into corners. If dough starts to spring back, let sit 5–10 minutes and start again. Cover again with same piece of oiled plastic and let rise until puffed and bubbly, about 30-45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°.
- Remove plastic and drizzle dough generously with more oil. Oil hands again and press fingertips firmly into dough, pushing down all the way to bottom of pan to dimple all over. Sprinkle generously with sea salt.
- Bake focaccia until surface is deep golden brown all over, 20-25 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Slide a thin metal spatula underneath focaccia to loosen from sheet pan (it may stick in a couple of places, so use some elbow grease to get underneath) and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before cutting as desired.
Variations
Sauteed Fava
- 300 g shelled favas
- Two shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Reduce focaccia dough water quantity by roughly 100 mL.
- Boil favas in salted water for 2 minutes, drain thoroughly. Chop roughly in half.
- Heat 2 tbsp in a skillet over medium-low heat. Fry shallots.
- Add chopped favas and continue frying until softened. Add 50 mL water and continue cooking until reduced. Season with salt and pepper.
- Let cool completely, then add to focaccia dough in step 2 above (after kneading).
Make-Ahead Notes
Focaccia can be baked 1 day ahead. Tightly wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.