Name: No-Knead Focaccia Bread
Prep time: 26 h 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 26 h 40 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp instant dry yeast; 2 tsp sea salt; 2 tsp sugar; 2 cups water, warm; 6 tbsp olive oil, divided; 2 tbsp butter

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This foolproof recipe makes airy focaccia bread with perfectly crisp edges every time. Top it with your favorite herbs and olive oil to bring home a slice of Italy.

Fresh, golden focaccia bread topped with herbs, perfect for culinary projects.

Hard To Say, Easy To Make

Fookacia, focasia, foocashia, uhhh, how do we even say it? Foh-ka-CH-ia. Okay, but what is it? Essentially, it is an Italian flatbread that deserves the proper pronunciation.

Before visiting Italy, I attempted to make this funky-named bread. It came out as dry as the Sahara Desert and as hard as a brick. I spent so much time on this recipe, only to have a sorry excuse for a flatbread come out of the oven. I gave up—no more focaccia for me.

Skip ahead a few years, and I’m in Italy, the birthplace of focaccia. I was curious to get a taste of the real deal, but I wasn’t even sure how to order it because how does one even say that word? After listening to a few of my travel buddies and some locals ask for it, I felt confident to order my own. And, wow! I was met with delightfully crispy, yet fluffy bread that was seasoned in all the right ways.

I couldn’t get enough of this stuff! Thankfully, it is available on just about every street corner. Whether it was served alone, with a sauce, as a panini, or a pizza, I was eating it. Once I got home, I got to work, and I didn’t leave the kitchen until I made focaccia that took me right back to Italy.

Why THIS Recipe?

I just told you how I once made the worst focaccia known to man, but was able to perfect it. But let me explain why my recipe deserves a round of applause. Using staple ingredients and tools you already have at home, I can show you how to make Italian focaccia bread that will have your neighbors knocking on your door. Besides using ingredients you likely have in your pantry, it also requires little effort to make, just a lot of time to proof.

The Things Inside: The Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour – just your generic flour will do, but you could opt for bread flour
Instant Dry Yeast – those little packets of yeast are all you need
Salt – sea salt is best
Sugar – white granulated sugar is perfect
Water – just some tap water
Olive Oil – find a quality brand, it will be worth it
Butter – salted stick butter is ideal

Building The Dish: Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1
Make that dough! First, whisk together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the warm water until a sticky dough is formed. Next, drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on top and stir until combined.
Step 2
Here’s where you have to be patient. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a tightly fitting lid, and place it in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours, allowing it to double in size.
Step 3
Once it is ready, pull the dough out and let it warm to room temperature for about 2 to 3 hours.
Step 4
Time to stretch! Using a spoon with the dough still in the bowl, fold the dough over itself from the outside to the inside of the bowl for about one minute until it tightens.
Step 5
Prepare a dish by greasing it with butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and stretch the dough into the dish.
Step 6
More proofing time! Cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for another hour or two in a warm corner in your kitchen.
Step 7
Get ready to bake. Preheat the oven to 450*F. Drizzle 2 more tablespoons of olive oil over the dough and gently press your fingers into it, creating dimples, and then sprinkle on some flaky salt along with your favorite herb. Be sure not to pop any bubbles!
Step 8
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crispy. Let it rest in the pan for about five minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack and slicing.

The Perfect Pairing

Focaccia bread is best fresh out of the oven with a drizzle of olive oil or melted butter, flaky salt, and fresh rosemary. But to really bring home the flavor of Italy, make it into an Italian Focaccia Pizza with Homemade Basil Pesto or a classic Italian panini. You could also toss on some fresh veggies with some olive oil before baking to truly make it Mediterranean. Serve with a Fresh Tossed Italian Salad and some Lemon Risotto for an authentic Italian dinner, then follow it up with Traditional Tiramisu for those with a sweet tooth!

Have Leftovers?

Although I can eat enough focaccia for three people, there will most likely be leftovers because it makes a good amount. It can be stored on the counter at room temperature in an airtight container for two days, in the fridge for three to four days, or in the freezer for a few months. When reheating, let it come to room temperature, then warm it in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes to revive it.

No-Knead Focaccia Bread

Author: Caitlyn
Total Time: 26 hours 40 minutes
Yield: 12 slices 1x

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Description

This foolproof recipe makes airy focaccia bread with perfectly crisp edges every time. Top it with your favorite herbs and olive oil to bring home a slice of Italy.

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant dry yeast
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp sugar
2 cups water, warm
6 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tbsp butter

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Instructions

Whisk together flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
Add the warm water to the mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough is formed.
Drizzle 2 tbsp of the olive oil on top and stir until combined.
Cover and place in the fridge for 12-24 hours. The dough should double in size during this time.
When ready, pull the dough out and let it come to room temperature (2-3 hours).
Fold the dough over itself from the outside to the inside of the bowl with a spoon for about 1 minute until it stiffens.
Grease a dish with butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil.
Press the dough into the dish.
Cover and let it rise for another hour or two in a warm corner of your kitchen until it doubles in size.
Preheat your oven to 450*F.
Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil over the dough and press your fingers gently into it, creating dimples. Sprinkle on some flaky salt and your preferred herb.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden and crispy.
Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack and slicing. Enjoy!

Notes

Drizzle on some olive oil or melted butter with flaky salt and your favorite herb (i.e., rosemary) before baking for a traditional Italian slice of focaccia.
Ensure that your water is warm, not hot, so it activates the yeast without killing it.
Turn it into a pizza or a sandwich!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Proofing Time: 26 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Italy
Cuisine: Italian