Yeasted Focaccia

Name: Yeasted Focaccia
Total time: 25 h
Yield: 1 tray, 40 × 32 cm
Ingredients: 750 g Wheat flour; 640 g Iced water; 6 g Dry yeast; 18 g Salt; 45 g Olive oil; 4–5 tbsp Olive oil; 3 tbsp Water; Sea salt flakes; Fresh rosemary; Cherry tomatoes; Olives

Crisp crust, a big open crumb and real aroma

◷13–25 h (with cold fermentation)

Classic Italian focaccia with a crisp crust, a large airy crumb and an incredibly fragrant interior. The secret is a very wet dough, a series of folds and a long cold fermentation in the fridge. The perfect base: serve it simply with good olive oil, use it for sandwiches and bruschetta, or as a base for any topping.

🔥Baking

Temperature

230°C, top and bottom heat, no fan

Time

22–28 minutes

Tin

40 × 32 cm tray, 3–5 cm sides

Ingredients

◎8 servings

Dough

Wheat flour(bread flour, 11–13% protein)750 g

Iced water(cold)640 g

Dry yeast6 g

Salt18 g

Olive oil45 g

For the top

Olive oil4–5

Water3 tbsp

Sea salt flakes(coarse, to taste)

Fresh rosemary(to taste)

Cherry tomatoes(optional)

Olives(optional)

Instructions

Method

Mixing the dough

Mix the water and yeast. Add the flour and stir until no dry patches remain. Leave for 30 minutes.

Add the salt and olive oil and mix thoroughly with a silicone spatula until even. The dough will be very wet and sticky — that is exactly right.

Folds

After 30 minutes, do the first fold. Wet your hands, lift an edge of the dough gently and fold it into the centre. Repeat on all sides.

Repeat the folds twice more at 30-minute intervals. After the last fold, leave the dough at room temperature for another 30–60 minutes.

Cold fermentation

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 12–36 hours. This stage is what deepens the flavour and gives that beautiful open crumb. For me the ideal result came after about 30 hours in the fridge.

Shaping

Oil the tray generously. Transfer the dough carefully into it, trying not to knock the air out. Leave at room temperature for 2–3 hours, until the dough is puffy and fills the tray.

Before baking

Mix olive oil with water and pour it over the surface of the dough. Press deep dimples all over with your fingertips. Scatter with coarse salt and rosemary. Add cherry tomatoes or olives if you like.

Baking

Bake in an oven preheated to 230°C (top and bottom heat, no fan) for 22–28 minutes, until deeply golden. Once baked, sprinkle lightly with olive oil and let it rest on a rack for 10–15 minutes.