Let’s get one thing straight: Focaccia is not just bread. Focaccia is the drama queen of the carb world — always golden, a little extra with the olive oil, and somehow soft, salty, and stunning all at once. It doesn’t need your approval, but it’ll take your olive oil and salt like it’s signing autographs.
Here at Forking Fearless, we don’t fear yeast. We befriend it, feed it, and let it work its bubbly magic while we sip wine and pretend we’re in Liguria. This golden, pillowy slab of olive oil ecstasy is perfect for tearing, dipping, sandwiching, or devouring straight from the pan in a moment of blissful, greasy-fingered joy.
And the best part? You don’t need a bread degree or a sourdough starter named “Harold” to pull this off. This focaccia recipe is beginner-friendly but fancy-feeling — just like us.
What Is Focaccia, Anyway?
Focaccia (foh-KAH-chya, if you’re feeling flirty with your pronunciation) is an Italian flatbread that’s baked with a generous amount of olive oil, topped with flaky salt, and sometimes tricked out with herbs, tomatoes, garlic, or your leftover farmer’s market guilt. It’s like pizza’s more sophisticated cousin — the one who went abroad and “found themselves.”
The Vibe: Olive Oil-Slicked Heaven
Our favorite focaccia is:
- Crispy on the outside
- Fluffy on the inside
- Salty in all the right ways
- And a blank canvas for your carb-fueled fantasies
Use it for sandwiches, dunk it in soup, mop up pasta sauce like a savage — or eat it standing over the kitchen counter while whispering “I deserve this.” Because you do.
Leftovers? You Make Me Laugh.
If you somehow don’t eat the entire tray in one sitting, focaccia stores like a champ. Wrap it up and keep it at room temp for a day or in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven or, if you’re really living, throw it in a skillet with more olive oil.
Final Thoughts: Carb-e Diem
There are few things more satisfying than homemade bread — and focaccia is the gateway drug. No kneading, no fancy gear, just you, some flour, and a puddle of olive oil that whispers sweet Italian nothings.
So roll up those sleeves, fear no dough, and get to forking. Because life’s too short for sad bread.
A big, bubbly, golden slab of edible joy.
Yield: One glorious half-sheet tray of focaccia (or two smaller ones if you’re into sharing).
Time:
• Active time: 20 minutes (ish)
• Total time: ~24 hours (includes overnight proof)
• Hands-on effort: Chill. This bread does most of the work.
Ingredients
555g water (room temp, because nobody likes cold shocks)
750g bread flour
7g active dry yeast (or 4.8g instant, we don’t judge)
10g salt
90g extra virgin olive oil (plus more for pan slathering and dramatic drizzles)
Directions
- Hydrate & Shag – Add water to your bowl, then dump in the flour. Mix until it’s a shaggy, sticky mess—whether by stand mixer on low or your beautifully unmanicured hands. No kneading, just good vibes.
- Rest & Reflect – Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it sit for 1 hour (or as little as 30 minutes if you’re impatient). This is your dough’s hydration spa.
- Salt + Yeast Time – Sprinkle in the salt and yeast like you’re seasoning your future happiness. Mix (stand mixer: 3 min medium / by hand: 5 min). Oil the bowl, coat dough with the oil, and rest.
- Fold & Nap (Repeat) – Fold dough into thirds like a letter. Cover + rest for 20 mins. Repeat 4 times total (1 hour). After final fold, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
- The Rise Before the Bake – Oil your tray(s). Add dough and dimple to spread. Drizzle with oil. Cover and proof for 60–90 minutes until doubled.
- Preheat the Heat – Convection oven: 425°F. Regular oven: Preheat to 500°F, then lower to 425°F when dough goes in.
- Dimple, Dress, and Bake – Dimple dough with fingers, top with salt, herbs, or toppings. Bake 15 min, rotate, bake 15 more, rotate, maybe another 15. Look for deep golden brown.
Notes
- Want it extra golden? Don’t skimp on the oil. It’s not a garnish, it’s a lifestyle.
- This dough is perfect for experimenting. Go sweet, go savory, go wild!