If you are looking for another easy bread recipe, then do give this no-knead bread a try.
Activate Yeast
Instant yeast doesn’t need to be activated before use. But to be double sure and avoid any surprises later, I activate the yeast first. It has happened to me in the past, that the yeast was dead and I figured that out too late in the process. If you are sure about it, then skip the process and mix flour, salt, sugar, and yeast together.
Mix in olive oil, salt and flour
When the yeast looks frothy, add salt, Olive oil, and 3/4th of the flour. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything. The mixture will a bit runny and like pancake batter. At this stage beat the dough with the wooden spoon like you beat eggs or stir it vigorously in a circular motion. This step is optional but when done helps in gluten formation. Then add the remaining flour and mix until you get a wet shaggy dough. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes for the flour to hydrate. Slightly wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking. Take a section of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over on itself. You then rotate the bowl 90° and do it again, then repeat twice more. ( watch the attached video to get a clear idea of how to do it). We will be doing 2 rounds of stretch and fold, 20 minutes apart. In between the two rounds allow the gluten to rest. By the end of this step, you will notice the dough is much more supple and easy to handle.
Overnight proofing dough
After 2nd stretch and fold, bring together the dough by scraping the bowl using a spatula. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of oil and coat the dough well. Tightly cover the bowl with cling film ( a double layer of film just to make sure it’s covered well) and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours for up to 12 hours. At the end of this step, the dough would be doubled in size.
Transfer and shape the dough
Punch the dough to flatten it. Transfer it to a lined and greased pan. Roughly shape the chilled dough to a rectangle by tucking in the sides. Note – Chilled dough might feel a little tight but it will be easy to handle once comes to room temperature.
2nd proof at room temperature
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil, spread it well, and loosely cover with a cling wrap. Let it rise for at least 1 hour – 1.5 hours (cold dough takes time to rise) until it’s almost doubled in size and looks fluffy.
Final shaping and toppings
Gently stretch the proofed dough toward the corner of the baking tray, to give it the shape of a rectangle. Drizzle olive oil generously all over. Now is the fun part, making dimples using the fingertips of both hands. Arrange the topping. I have used rosemary sprigs. Sprinkle flakey sea salt.
Bake
Bake the focaccia for about 30-35 minutes, or until it’s beautifully golden brown and has begun to shrink back slightly from the sides of the pan. Take it out of the oven and let it cool for just a few minutes directly in the pan. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. This will prevent the bottom from getting soggy. Then transfer the dough to the tray and roughly shape it into a rectangle. Cover and let the dough rise in the prepared pan for about 30-40 minutes. Unlike refrigerated dough, room-temperature dough takes less time during the second rise. Then proceed with the same steps as overnight dough.
Rosemary and garlic– Cut garlic into thick slices. Press it gently into the dough. Tomato – Seasonal cherry or grape tomatoes cut into halves and pressed into the dough. Sundired tomatoes are another great option. Onion Flavored Olive oil Juicy Olives – cut into half and press gently into the dough. Onion- Slice the onions into thick slices. The slices should be at least ¼ inch thick (7mm). If cut too thin they will burn.
You can make an Italian Focaccia sandwich. Split the bread open horizontally. Two of my favorite toppings are Basil Pesto + summer tomato + burrata and other is prosciutto di parma, fresh buffalo mozzarella, and fresh Italian basil. Pairs beautifully with warm soup like this classic tomato soup, creamy cauliflower potato soup , Spinach soup , Instant pot creamy vegetable soup
