Easy No-Knead Focaccia
My easy no-knead focaccia recipe is a proper game changer. No lengthy processes, no overnight proving. One bowl, same day, foolproof recipe for the most delicious Italian bread known to man.
Servings 1 focaccia
Calories 2381kcal
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 g strong bread flour
- 2 teaspoon (7g sachet) instant/quick/easy yeast
- 1.5 teaspoon fine salt I use fine Himalayan pink salt
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided (2 in the dough and 2 on top before baking)
- 400 ml lukewarm water
Toppings
- 1 tablespoon (heaped) fresh rosemary roughly chopped
- flaky sea salt to taste
- more olive oil for greasing the pan and drizzling over baked focaccia
Instructions
- Add flour, salt and yeast to a large bowl and give it all a quick mix to incorporate.Next, add olive oil and water and mix them into the flour using your hand, wooden spoon or a bread dough whisk. You will have shaggy and sticky dough at this point. Cover the bowl and leave to sit for 15 minutes.500 g strong bread flour, 2 tsp (7g sachet) instant/quick/easy yeast, 1.5 tsp fine salt , 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , 400 ml lukewarm water
- Fill a small bowl with some water to dip your hand in (dough will be sticky). After a little break your dough will relax and will be ready for a series of "stretch and folds".Dip your hand in a bowl of water, gather a piece of dough, stretch it up and fold over towards the opposite side of the bowl.
- Rotate the bowl a bit to your left, gather another piece of dough, stretch it and fold over towards the opposite side of the bowl again. Continue this way until you went all around the bowl and a bit more.
- Next, cover the bowl with a tea towel or a shower cap and let it prove until doubled in size. It will take anything from 1-2.5 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.While your dough is proving prepare your baking tin by lining it with baking paper and/or oiling it really thoroughly with olive oil (bottom and the sides).
- Once your dough has doubled in size, wet your hands and go around the bowl releasing it gently from the sides.
- Next, using both hands, lift the dough straight up from the middle (it will release from the bowl) and rest it down again (it will sort of fold down on itself). This process is called "coil fold". Turn your bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do it few more times each time turning your bowl 90 degrees.
- Move the dough into prepared tin and spread it gently to fit. Don't worry too much, it doesn't need to be perfect, the dough will be pretty resistant at this point so might not fill the tin. It will, however, spread on its own as it rests.Cover the tin and let it prove again until roughly doubled in size. Towards the end of proving preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and prepare your desired toppings.
- Once your focaccia is ready for the oven you can either keep it plain or add your chosen toppings.Either way, you will need to drizzle generous 2 tablespoon olive oil over the dough. Add the toppings (in my case 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and some flaky sea salt), lightly oil your hands and press your fingers all over the dough creating little dimples.Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes until golden.Once baked take it out of the tin and let it cool on the cooling rack for at least 20 minutes (longer if you can) before you dig in. Enjoy!1 tbsp (heaped) fresh rosemary , flaky sea salt, 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
There is no exact amount of stretch and folds you need to do. I usually try and do about 10 give or take. The dough will become less stretchy as you go so your movements will become smaller which is ok.
With this recipe you cannot really overproof the dough as it's super forgiving so one less thing to worry about.
The second prove in the tin is usually much quicker. You are looking for dough that has filled the tin and has visibly puffed up (close to doubling in size).
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate, per entire focaccia and will differ depending on the toppings used. It should be treated as a rough guideline only.
- For more information regarding ingredients and possible substitutes refer to 🛒 Ingredients to make Easy No-Knead Focaccia.
- Focaccia will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days depending on the toppings. Freezer friendly. For more info see 🥡 Storing Focaccia.
Make sure to use digital scales when weighing out your flour.
Keep a small jug or bowl with water for dipping your hands ready for when you do stretch and folds and coil folds. High hydration dough like this one is wet and sticky and keeping your hands nice and wet helps a lot.
How long your focaccia takes to prove will vary depending on the warmth of the environment it's in, the water temperature etc. Treat timings given as a guideline and go with visual cues like doubling in volume after 1st proof and visibly puffing up (almost doubling) in the tin (after 2nd proof).
Feel free to use a baking tin of different size. We like our focaccia tall, soft and fluffy. The tin I use here is a rectangular springform baking tin 18x28cm. If you prefer your focaccia more on a thinner and crispier side, simply use a bigger tin or even a baking tray (check out my Christmas Focaccia recipe). You might need to adjust baking time depending on the size of your tin/tray.
As our ovens differ, make sure you check whether your focaccia is fully baked not just by looking at its colour on top but also at the bottom. You want it to be rather evenly coloured and not too pale. Also, give it a little tap, you want to hear that hollow sound. Remember, if unsure you can always put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
Don't be afraid of trying different toppings, go with different veg, cheese, herbs, pesto, be creative.
Don't be put off by the amount of olive oil used, it's the beauty of focaccia! In the dough, on the dough and if you're brave enough give it another drizzle once it's out of the oven, heaven!
In winter or if you have a cold kitchen, try and prove your dough somewhere warm and draught free. I like to put mine in the airing cupboard. Letting it prove in a cooler environment is absolutely fine too, it will simply take longer.
Nutrition
Calories: 2381kcal | Carbohydrates: 373g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 43g | Sodium: 3532mg | Potassium: 744mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 68IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 5mg