Homemade focaccia is incredibly versatile. It pairs beautifully with soups and salads looks stunning on grazing boards and makes the perfect sandwich bread filled with grilled vegetables and provolone cheese.

If you are new to bread making focaccia is the best place to start. The dough is forgiving simple to handle and delivers impressive results with very little effort. This recipe is made the night before and left to prove overnight in the fridge. Slow fermentation develops flavour and creates a focaccia that is light moist and full of airy bubbles. Most of the work happens while you sleep.

For best results use a strong flour. Bakers flour works very well and Tipo 00 is ideal although any good quality bread flour will produce excellent focaccia.

Ingredients

• 450 g bread flour or Tipo 00

• 7 g instant dried yeast

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes

• 2 teaspoons dried basil

• 15 pitted black olives

• 80 ml extra virgin olive oil

• 3 garlic cloves crushed

• Sea salt for topping

Method

Step 1

In a large bowl combine flour yeast and salt keeping the salt away from the yeast.

Step 2

Add 400 ml cold water and mix until a sticky wet dough forms.

Step 3

Mix in chilli flakes basil olives and 40 ml olive oil until well combined.

Step 4

Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Step 5

The next day generously oil a rectangular baking tin.

Step 6

Remove the dough from the fridge gently fold the edges into the centre to deflate.

Step 7

Place the dough into the tin folded side down and gently stretch to fill the corners.

Step 8

Cover and let rise in a warm place for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

Step 9

Mix remaining olive oil with crushed garlic and set aside.

Step 10

Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced or 220°C conventional.

Step 11

Drizzle garlic oil over the dough press deep dimples with your fingers and sprinkle with sea salt.

Step 12

Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from tin drizzle with extra olive oil and serve.

FAQs

Can I skip overnight proofing
Yes but overnight proofing gives better flavour and softer focaccia.

Why is my focaccia dense
It may need more proofing time or stronger flour.

Can I store focaccia
Best eaten fresh but can be kept for two days and lightly toasted before serving.

Can I change the toppings
Yes focaccia works well with herbs vegetables cheese or olives.