[ Fast Focaccia ]

 Truth?  I can make a mean same-day focaccia  Thanks to this recipe.

Prep Time5minutes mins

Cook Time25minutes mins

Proving & cooling2hours hrs 55minutes mins

Total Time3hours hrs 25minutes mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups (300g) bread flour (or plain/all-purpose flour, Note 1)
• 1 1/8 tsp (3.5g) instant yeast (aka rapid rise yeast) (Note 2)
• 3/4 tsp (4.5g) cooking salt / kosher salt (-50% for table salt, + 50% for salt flakes)
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (280 ml / 280g) very warm water (1/3 cup boiling water then top up with cold tap water) (Note 3)

Topping:

• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp (heaped) sea salt flakes (or regular salt, couple of pinches)

Instructions

ABBREVIATED:

• Mix dry, then mix in water. Rise 2 hrs to double. Drizzle EVOO into pan, pour into pan, rise 45 min by 50%. Oil surface, very lightly dimple, sprinkle with salt flakes, bake 25 min at 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan).

FULL RECIPE:

• Very sticky dough - Put the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl, mix to combine with a rubber spatula. Make a well in the centre, pour the warm water in then mix until you no longer see flour. It should be like a thick muffin batter - way too sticky and loose to knead.
• Rise #1 (2 hrs) - Cover with cling wrap then put in a very warm place to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in volume (Note 4), or do Rise #1 in the fridge 24 - 48 hrs (Note 5).
• Line pan - Use a 26.5 x 20 x 5cm (10.5 x 8 x 2") rectangle pan (metal, not glass or ceramic) or a 22cm/9″ square pan. Lightly grease with butter (not oil). Scrunch up a sheet of baking paper, un-scrunch then press into the pan, ensuring you have overhang to lift the focaccia out later. (Note 6)
• Dough in pan - Drizzle and spread 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan on the paper. Pour the dough batter in, then use 2 rubber spatulas to coax the dough out into the corners as best you can. Don't get too hung up on this, it will fill the pan as it rises.
• Rise #2 (45 min) - Cover with a cutting board (or similar - flat - but make sure there's enough space for the dough to rise!! Note 6), then put in a very warm place for 45 minutes or until it rises by 50 - 70% (you should see some nice big bubbling on the surface). Halfway through, preheat oven.

Bake!

• Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan-forced) with the oven rack in the middle.
• Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil across the surface. Rub a little oil on your fingertips then use your fingers to spread the oil lightly across the surface. (Note 6 for Toppings)
• LIGHT dimpling - Use your fingers to LIGHTLY press dimples into the surface of the dough, only pressing down about 1cm/0.4" into the dough, not all the way down like traditional focaccia else you will deflate the dough.
• Salt flakes - Sprinkle all over the surface.
• Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pan at the 15 minute mark, until the surface is deep golden.
• Cool 10 minutes - Lift the focaccia out of the pan using the excess paper onto a cooling rack, then slide the paper out from underneath. Cool for 10 minutes then attack! Always best served warm.