Authentic Focaccia

This is what real focaccia is all about—not the bland, spongy bread you might be used to. This recipe creates a bread with a perfect, crispy outside and a soft, moist, and fluffy interior with a little bit of chew. It’s an authentic Italian bread with so much character and flavor that you won’t be able to stop at just one piece. The secret? A special dough that gives it an incredible texture and an irresistible taste.

Instructions

1. 1

   To prepare the dough, start by making the mashed potato. Peel a potato, cut it into 2.5cm / 1-inch chunks, and boil until it is fully tender. Drain the water and mash the potato thoroughly until it is completely smooth and lump-free. Let it cool before measuring out the required amount.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast with a firm rubber spatula until they are well combined.

3. 3

   Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the olive oil and warm water. Mix with your spatula until there are no more visible pockets of flour. The dough should be quite sticky, too sticky to knead by hand.

4. 4

   Add the mashed potato to the bowl. Use a folding motion with your spatula to mix it in. Once the potato is mostly incorporated, smear the dough against the sides of the bowl to mix everything together evenly. Shape the dough into a rough ball.

5. 5

   Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot (around 25°C / 77°F) for 30 minutes. The dough should increase in volume by about 50%, or up to double in size. Be careful not to let it rise much more than this.

6. 6

   Get a clean, large bowl and drizzle it with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, spreading it around with your hands. Scrape the dough into this new bowl, then fold the edges of the dough into the center six times. Reshape the dough into a ball and cover the bowl again with plastic wrap.

7. 7

   Place the covered bowl back in a warm spot for another 30 minutes, allowing the dough to rise again until it increases in volume by about 50%.

8. 8

   While the dough is on its second rise, prepare your baking pan. Use a 26.5 x 20 x 5 cm (10.5 x 8 x 2 inch) metal non-stick pan, or a 23cm / 9-inch round cake pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and smear it evenly across the base and up the sides.

9. 9

   Preheat your oven to 220°C / 430°F (200°C for fan-forced). Make sure the oven has been preheated for at least 15 minutes for best results, with a rack on the middle shelf.

10. 10

    Scrape the dough into the prepared pan. Gently stretch and pull the dough to fill the base of the pan as much as you can. It will be a bit elastic and stubborn, which is normal. Don’t worry if it looks a little bumpy; it will smooth out later.

11. 11

    Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise one last time in a warm spot for 40 minutes. The dough should expand to completely fill the pan and rise in height by about 25-30%.

12. 12

    Just before baking, drizzle the surface of the dough with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and lightly rub it across the surface with your hands. Then, using your fingertips, press them deep into the dough all the way to the bottom of the pan to create the classic focaccia dimples. Don’t be shy; you can’t mess this up! This will deflate the dough a bit, and that’s completely fine. Add your chosen toppings by pressing them into the dough.

13. 13

    Finish by drizzling the surface with the final 2 tablespoons of olive oil, making sure it pools into the dimples. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes.

14. 14

    Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden color and a little bit crispy, and the sides are fried and crusty. It’s a good idea to check after 20 minutes to see how it is cooking.

15. 15

    Carefully turn the focaccia out onto a wire cooling rack. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before you cut into it. Focaccia is absolutely best served fresh and warm!

Recipe Notes

• Bread Flour – Using bread flour is highly recommended because its high protein content gives the focaccia a wonderfully chewy and elastic texture. You can use all-purpose flour in a pinch, but the result won’t be quite as chewy.

• Yeast – This recipe uses instant or rapid-rise yeast, which you can mix directly into the dry ingredients. This method gives you the fluffiest bread. If you only have dry active yeast, you’ll need to activate it first by mixing it with the warm water and sugar and letting it foam for about 10 minutes before adding it to the flour.

• Potato – For the best result, use a floury potato variety like Russet or Yukon Gold in the US, or Sebago in Australia. The potato helps make the dough incredibly soft and moist.

• Dimples – Don’t be shy with this step! Use your fingers to poke deep holes all over the surface of the dough. The holes don’t need to be perfect or even; most of them will disappear during baking. This step is key to getting that classic focaccia look.

• Toppings – The garlic and rosemary topping is a classic. To prevent the garlic from burning at the high heat, you gently poach it in olive oil first (this is called confit garlic). The garlic becomes soft and sweet and won’t burn. You can also use other toppings like cherry tomatoes, olives, or fresh herbs.

• Storage – Fresh focaccia is best, but leftovers can be stored in a sealed zip-lock bag for a few days. For the best experience, reheat it in the oven to bring back that fluffy interior and crispy crust.

• Making Ahead – We found that letting this dough sit in the fridge for a day or more actually makes the focaccia turn out worse. The dough loses its rising power and the final bread becomes a lot denser. It’s best to make and bake this one on the same day you plan to serve it.