Baking · serves 2

Focaccia

No shaping, no skill. You poke it with your fingers and pour oil on it.

150 min Easy Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 4 cups bread flour or maida
  • 2 tsp instant yeast
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Rosemary, flaky salt
  • Cherry tomatoes, olives, sliced onion (optional)

Method

  1. This dough is deliberately very wet — almost a batter. Don't add flour to fix it.
  2. Mix with a spoon, cover, rise 1.5 hours. Fold it over on itself a few times halfway through instead of kneading.
  3. Pour 3 tbsp olive oil into a tray, tip the dough in, and stretch it to the corners. If it springs back, wait 10 minutes and try again.
  4. Second rise 45 minutes.
  5. Now oil your fingers and dimple the dough hard, all the way down to the tray. Those holes hold the oil and are the whole character of focaccia.
  6. More olive oil, flaky salt, rosemary and toppings. 220°C for 22-25 minutes.

Questions people ask about Focaccia

How long does Focaccia take?

About 150 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is straightforward. A good part of that is unattended, so you can get on with something else once it is going.

What is the one thing to get right in Focaccia?

This dough is deliberately very wet — almost a batter. Don't add flour to fix it.

What can I use instead of maida in Focaccia?

Use plain atta for a denser, nuttier result, or a 50/50 mix if you want to keep some lift.

Can I make Focaccia ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Is Focaccia vegetarian?

Yes, and as written it is vegan too. Check your specific brands if that matters to you.

Do I need an oven for Focaccia?

Yes, this one needs an oven. If you do not have one, look at the no-oven filter on the baking page: eleven of the bakes here are built for a cooker, a pan or the fridge.

What do you serve with Focaccia?

On its own, warm, with tea or coffee. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

Don't know what to cook? Let it decide →

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