In a large mixing bowl add flour, water and dry yeast. Give a nice stir with a fork.
1 ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon water, 1 ½ cup slightly heaping bread flour, 1 ½ cup slightly heaping all purpose flour, 1 ¾ teaspoon yeast
Add salt and mix well with a fork until all flour is incorporated. Make sure to scrape the bowl to get all the flour from the sides and from the bottom of the bowl.
1 ½ teaspoon salt
Pour extra virgin olive oil all around the dough, about 1 tbsp.Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and a kitchen towel.Let rest for 30 minutes or 45 minutes with colder rooms temperature.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fold the dough (1st time)
Gently pull the dough from the side of the bowl, stretch lightly and fold towards the center.
A few inches apart from the first fold do the same manipulation, repeating the folding process as many times as needed to finish a whole round around of the bowl.
Pour extra virgin olive oil around the edge of the dough and cover again with a plastic wrap.Let rest for 30-45 minutes.
Fold the dough (2nd time)
Repeat the stretching and folding process as before.
Finish with a round of olive oil, cover and let rest again for 30-45 minutes.
Fold the dough (3rd time)
Repeat the stretching and folding process as before.
Finish with a round of olive oil, cover and let rest again for 30-45 minutes.NOTE: This time around it should take the dough less time to rise to double in size compared to previous proofing and as a final result it should double in size.
Fold the dough (4th time) - OPTIONAL
The fourth fold/rise is optional. I typically do it during cold months to give the dough even better dough structure and tasteYou can do it if you have time or if the dough didn’t double in the size after the 3rd fold/rise. But you can also skip step and go directly to the next step arranging focaccia in a pan.
Arrange Focaccia in a pan + final rise
Generously oil focaccia pan using your hands. With still oily hands take the dough out of the bowl and place it in focaccia pan. Using your well-oiled fingertips spread the dough in even layer all over focaccia pan. TIP: If you find it hard to spread the dough to fit the pan, let it rest covered for 5-10 minutes. Past that time you’ll be able to fit the dough perfectly to a pan.
Cover with aluminium foil or plastic wrap avoiding touching the dough and a kitchen towel. Let rest for last 15-30 minutes. In the meantime start preheating the oven to 450F (230C).
Season & Bake
Give a few rounds of extra virgin olive oil and season with a few pinches of sea salt flakes. You can also season your focaccia with dried oregano or dried rosemary.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea salt flakes, Herbs
Spray with water using clean spray bottle.
Bake in a preheated to 450F (230C) oven for 15-20 minutes.
Notes
If making focaccia during cold season with room temperature 71F (22C) feel free to use a whole packet of active dry yeast (7 grams).Focaccia Pan Recommendations:
Any of the pan sizes above will work perfectly for the amounts indicated in this recipe.You can also use classic 9x13 inch quarter sheet pan which will make a slightly thicker but absolutely delicious focaccia.