Overwhelmed by the thought of making your own bread? I get it! That's what kept me from getting into breadmaking, until I learned it doesn't have to be that complicated.
This No-Knead Focaccia is soft, airy, crispy, and incredibly delicious. Best of all, time does most of the work for you! As the title suggests, this recipe doesn't involve any kneading. You also don't need any special skills, tools, or appliances.
It's also a wonderful canvas to get creative with. Bake it topped with the herbs and veggies you love, or give it a brushing of garlic and herb oil, chili crisp, or hot honey when it's fresh out the oven. You can even serve it topped with greens like arugula and a drizzle of balsamic glaze, or use it to make a sandwich! The opportunities are endless.
No-Knead Focaccia Recipe
Recipe
10-12 servings
Ingredients
Dough
325 g (325 ml) water
15 g olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
10 g fresh yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
400 g bread flour (go for one with 12-13 g protein per 100 g)
Toppings
Olive oil for dimpling
Good herbs/veggies to choose from: rosemary, thyme, sage, slices onions, garlic confit, thinly sliced potatoes, sliced zucchini, olives, tomatoes, etc. (coat the toppings in a little olive oil so they don’t burn!)
Flakey sea salt
Method
Day 1
In a large bowl, Tupperware, or Pyrex container (anything with a lid will do), gently whisk together the water, olive oil, maple syrup, fresh yeast, and sea salt. Then, using a mesh strainer, sift in the bread flour.
Mix all ingredients together until the flour is hydrated but do not over mix. It’s normal if it’s sticky and looks a little lumpy. Scrape the sides of the bowl down to get all the dough in one lump.
Cover the bowl/container with its lid (place on top, do not fully close). In the warmest part of your home, let proof for 30 minutes.
With oiled hands, do one round of stretch and fold*. Let proof for 30 minutes.
With oiled hands, do another round of stretch and fold*. Let proof for 30 minutes.
With oiled hands, do a round of coil fold*, making sure the dough is faced smooth side up. Let proof for 30 minutes.
Rub a drizzle of olive oil on top of the dough. Then seal the lid securely and place the bowl/container in the fridge overnight.
Day 2
Transfer the dough to an oiled baking dish or pan (for the focaccia thickness I like most, I prefer using either a circular 30 cm (12 in) cast iron pan or a rectangular 35 x 24 x 5 cm (13 x 9 x 2 in) cake pan). Cover and let proof for two hours in the warmest part of your home (I like to put it in an oven that’s been warmed and turned off).
Preheat your oven to 220 C or 428 F. I use convection mode but it depends on the oven.
Once proofed, gently stretch the dough out from the sides if it’s not filling up all the space of the pan.
Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and dimple with your fingers. Sprinkle on flakey salt and add your desired toppings (don't forget to rub a little oil on them so they don’t burn).
On a rack placed in the middle/mid-bottom of your oven, bake for about 25 minutes or until golden.
I sometimes like to give it a brushing of garlic and herb oil or hot honey when it's out of the oven!
NOTES
Refer to my video to see how I do stretch and folds and coil folds:
*Stretch and Fold
"Stretch and fold" is a technique used in breadmaking to develop the gluten, create structure, and strengthen the dough.
How to: With oiled hands, reach under one side of the dough and gently pull it upwards, stretching it away from the rest of the dough. You're essentially stretching one part of the dough at a time. Once stretched, fold the stretched portion back over the rest of the dough. Turn the bowl so that you work your way around the entire dough. For this recipe, you should do about 5-6 stretches and folds per round of "stretch and fold".
*Coil Fold
"Coil fold" is another technique used in breadmaking to create structure and texture in the dough through a form of layering. It also contributes to better crumb and improved rise in the finished product. It's particularly effective for doughs with higher hydration levels or when working with sticky doughs (like focaccia).
How to: With oiled hands, gently raise the dough up from its middle, causing the dough to hang from the sides. Lay the dough onto one of the hanging parts so that it lays under the middle, then lift it again to land on the other hanging part (both parts should connect under the middle of the dough). The dough should be a sort of rectangular shape. Now, let's do the other side. Fold the top edge of the dough to under the middle part of the dough. Fold the other edge of the dough to under the middle part of the dough (both meet under the middle). This should form a neat package. Gently lift the packaged dough and lay it on its side to create two final layers. Lift the entire dough to face the seam downwards in the bowl (smooth side facing up).
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