Focaccia gets its airy interior from a well-hydrated dough that is folded gently, allowed to rise fully and baked in an olive-oil-coated pan. Resist the urge to knead in enough flour to make it feel like sandwich bread. This dough is intentionally sticky. A 9-by-13-inch metal pan gives a useful balance of height and crisp edges; the same dough spread across a large sheet pan will bake thinner and faster.
Ingredients and equipment
This is an original editorial cooking guide, not a claim of kitchen testing. Photographs show illustrative examples rather than this exact recipe. Use the texture and doneness checks to account for your equipment.
- 500 g bread flour or strong all-purpose flour
- 400 g water, cool to lukewarm; 7 g instant yeast; 10 g fine salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for the dough, plus about 3 tablespoons for the pan and surface
- Optional topping: 1–2 teaspoons chopped rosemary and a small pinch of flaky salt
- A large mixing bowl, flexible scraper and 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan
Step-by-step method
1. Mix without adding extra flour
Stir the flour, yeast and salt together, then add the water and two tablespoons of oil. Mix until there are no pockets of dry flour. The dough will be rough, loose and sticky. Cover and rest for twenty minutes. This pause allows the flour to absorb water and makes the first fold easier without an extended kneading session.
2. Build strength with folds
Wet your fingers lightly. Lift one side of the dough and fold it toward the center, turning the bowl and repeating on the other sides. Cover and repeat twice more at twenty-minute intervals. Stretch only until you feel resistance; tearing strands does not improve structure. By the final fold, the dough should look smoother and hold together more willingly while remaining soft.
3. Allow the bulk rise
Cover and let the dough expand until it is very puffy, visibly aerated and approximately doubled. This may take another hour or longer after the folds, depending on room temperature. You can instead refrigerate the covered dough overnight after the folds for a slower schedule, then allow extra warming and proofing time the next day. Watch the dough rather than treating either option as an exact timer.
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4. Transfer to an oiled pan
Coat the pan generously with oil, including the corners. Ease the dough into it with a scraper, keeping as much air as practical. Turn it once to coat the surface, then stretch gently toward the edges. If it contracts, leave it for fifteen minutes and try again. Do not force it to fill every corner in one pull or flatten it with a rolling pin.
5. Proof and dimple
Cover loosely and let the dough rise until wobbly and bubbly, often 45–90 minutes after a room-temperature rise and longer if cold. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Drizzle the remaining oil over the surface. Oil your fingertips and press straight down to make deep dimples, stopping short of scraping the pan. Scatter rosemary and a restrained pinch of flaky salt.
6. Bake and release steam
Bake for roughly 22–30 minutes until the surface is deeply golden and the underside is browned. Check the center as well as the edges. Lift out of the pan carefully and cool on a rack for at least twenty minutes before slicing. Leaving hot bread in the pan traps steam against the bottom and softens the crust you just developed.
Hydration and flour choice
The water here is 80 percent of the flour weight, a relatively wet dough. Different flours absorb differently, so a batch made with one all-purpose flour may feel looser than another. Use the stated weight first and give the dough its resting and folding time before deciding it is wrong. A flexible scraper is more useful than a dusting of flour when moving sticky dough. If this is your first attempt, strong flour offers a little more handling tolerance.
Choose toppings with moisture in mind
Thin onion slices, rosemary and olives are straightforward additions. Press olives into the dimples so they do not scorch on exposed high spots. Halved cherry tomatoes release water; use a moderate amount and keep the cut surfaces facing upward. Raw thick potato slices may remain firm while the bread browns, so use very thin slices or precook them. Heavy toppings can compress the dough and hide whether the center is fully baked.
Troubleshoot a tight crumb
Dense bread can result from insufficient fermentation, vigorous handling after rising or too much added flour. If the dough never becomes bubbly, check yeast age and room temperature. If it rises and then collapses into a flat wet mass, it may have gone too far. Bake it anyway if otherwise sound, but expect a flatter loaf. Record the room temperature and rise appearance so the next batch can be adjusted intelligently.
Get crisp edges without a greasy center
Oil under the dough helps it release and encourages a fried, crisp edge. It does not compensate for underbaking. If the top looks ready while the bottom is pale, move the pan lower for the final few minutes. Avoid placing delicate nonstick pans above their rated temperature. For a softer sandwich-style focaccia, cool under a clean towel after an initial rack rest; for a crisp crust, leave it uncovered until completely cool.
Store and refresh
Plain focaccia is best the day it is baked. Keep it well wrapped after cooling and use soon, or freeze portions for longer storage. Refrigerate versions with perishable toppings. Refresh slices briefly in a moderate oven rather than microwaving until rubbery. Slice sandwich portions horizontally only after the loaf has cooled enough to keep the interior from compressing under the knife.
Frequently asked questions
Can I halve the recipe?
Yes. Use a smaller pan so the dough depth stays similar. Check baking early rather than assuming half the dough means half the baking time.
Do I need a mixer?
No. The resting and folding sequence develops enough structure for this style. A mixer is optional, and long high-speed mixing can be counterproductive.
Why does the bread stick?
The pan may have had too little oil or a damaged coating. Loosen carefully around the edges before lifting, and consider a suitable parchment liner next time.
Sources and further reading
The references below provide background technique or food-safety guidance. Ingredient quantities and the step-by-step presentation above are original editorial guidance, not a reproduction of a source recipe.
kingarthurbaking.com: big and bubbly focaccia recipe
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Useful kitchen tools
Optional shopping links are below. Check current specifications, seller, price and availability before buying. No affiliate tag or product-testing claim is attached. Search links are labeled as searches; they are not verified offers.
OXO Good Grips Multi-Purpose Scraper & Chopper on Amazon: useful for dividing dough and clearing a work surface; a flexible scraper is easier inside a curved bowl.
Amazon shopping search: 9 x 13 focaccia pan
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