Quick and Dirty Focaccia
A super easy, high-hydration focaccia with minimal effort. Mix in a bowl, pour into a pan, and bake. The result is a golden, crisp crust with a soft, airy interior and large bubbles, all without kneading or folding.
| Cuisine | Italian |
| Category | Bread |
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Rising Time | 2 hours 55 minutes |
| Total Time | 3 hours 25 minutes |
| Servings | 6 servings |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Published | 8/18/2025 |
Instructions
- 1
Combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well and pour in warm water, mixing until no dry flour remains. Dough will be sticky, like thick muffin batter.
- 2
Cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for 2 hours until doubled. Alternative: refrigerate 24–48 hours for slow fermentation.
- 3
Line a 26.5 x 20 x 5 cm rectangle pan (or 22 cm square) with scrunched baking paper and grease with butter. Drizzle 1/2 tbsp olive oil over the paper.
- 4
Pour dough into pan and coax it into corners with rubber spatulas. Cover and let rise 45 minutes until dough increases by 50–70%.
- 5
Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan). Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over dough and spread lightly with fingertips.
- 6
Lightly press dimples into dough with fingers, about 1 cm deep, then sprinkle with salt flakes.
- 7
Bake 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway, until surface is deep golden. Cool 10 minutes on a rack before slicing.
- 8
Cut into strips or squares. Serve warm, optionally with olive oil or balsamic vinegar for dipping.
Nutrition Information
| Calories | 210 |
| Protein | 6g |
| Carbohydrates | 42g |
| Total Fat | 5g |
| Saturated Fat | 1g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 450mg |
| Potassium | 150mg |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Sugar | 1g |
| Vitamin A | 0IU |
| Vitamin C | 0mg |
| Calcium | 10mg |
| Iron | 2mg |
Recipe Notes
Bread flour has higher protein than plain flour, producing a chewier crumb and more bubbles, but plain/all-purpose flour works with slightly less rise.
Instant yeast can be used directly in flour. Active dry yeast requires proofing in warm water with sugar first.
Water temperature should feel like a warm bath (38–45°C / 100–113°F) to activate yeast properly.
Warm environment for rising speeds up dough; cold slows fermentation. Avoid over-proofing as it reduces oven rise.
Pan size: 20–23 cm square or 26.5 x 20 cm rectangle recommended. Deeper pans (5 cm) provide sufficient headspace for the second rise.
Toppings: Add vegetables, olives, or confit garlic before baking. Avoid raw garlic or delicate herbs, they burn easily.
Leftovers keep 3–4 days in an airtight container. Reheat at 180°C / 350°F for 5 minutes for best texture. Freezes up to 3 months.
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