Homemade baking without complications: Mix and forget, no knead, overnight proofing and the most pillowy focaccia perfect to dip in olive oil or for a healthy sandwich. Yum!
Mix in olives, sun-dried tomatoes or rosemary or topped with thinly sliced potatoes, caramelised onions or feta and cherry tomatoes for different versions.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. honey
625 g all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp sea salt
6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
Flaky sea salt
Method:
Whisk dry yeast, honey and 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water in a medium bowl, let sit for 5 minutes, it should get slightly foamy.
Add all-purpose flour and sea salt and mix with a rubber spatula until a dough forms.
Pour 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in a big bowl and transfer dough to it, turn to coat in oil. Cover with a plastic wrap or a lid and chill in the fridge until dough is doubled in size; at least 8 hrs and up to 1 day.
Grease very well a rectangular baking pan ( I use a 25 x 35 cm).
Keeping the dough in the bowl and using a rubber spatula, gather up edges of dough farthest from you and lift up and over into centre of bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process.
Do this two more times (this is to deflate the dough while you form it into a rough ball).
Transfer dough to prepared pan. Pour any oil left in bowl over.
Let rise, in a warm spot until doubled in size, at least 1 1/2 hours and up to 4 hours. Grease your hands lightly and dimple focaccia all over with your fingers to create deep depression in the dough. Drizzle with a bit extra olive oil for maximum crunchiness and colour.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 30 min or until nice and golden. Cool down for 10 min for slicing.