No-knead overnight focaccia

Over time I have tried different recipes for focaccia. I have found the one that I will be sharing with you, the best and has been adapted from an old recipe, by increasing the hydration and letting the dough rest overnight in the fridge.

No-knead focaccia

Once you have mastered the classic salt and rosemary, try a different variation of toppings from tomatoes and goats cheese, to vegetarian focaccia or a more complex with figs, blue cheese and walnuts.

The ingredients are for a 39.2 x 26.7 x H2.5 cm oven dish you can find here and which I higly recommend

Fast action yeast is a great substitute for fresh yeast, but adjust the quantities depending on the temperature by a 1/4 of tsp more

No-knead overnight focaccia

Ingredients:

• 300 g bread flour - I use Canadian strong bread flour or Manitoba

• 300 g 00 flour - this is highly available now in supermarkets as pasta flour

• 2 tsp fast action yeast

• 15 g fine sea salt

• 1 1/2 tsp caster sugar

• 535 g lukewarm water - make sure to weigh more than using a measuring jug

• 20 g olive oil - plus more for greasing a shaping

Method:

1. In a bowl, place your dry ingredients, but your salt, and mix them together.

2. Start pouring the water and oil, mix with a wooden spoon and reach a very wet and sticky mixture. Add your salt just before completing incorporating all the flour.

3. Let rest for about 15 minutes to activate, and then create 4 folds, using a spatula or your hands covered in olive oil.

4. Cover in cling film and place in the fridge overnight.

5. The following day, take the dough out of the fridge and allow it to reach room temperature.

6. Once this is ready, prepare your oven tray by distributing a layer of olive oil at the bottom.

7. With the help of gravity, let the focaccia dough drop in the oven tray, fold on itself and cover in cling film again letting rest and proof for a second time. Depending on the temperature, this will expand to the corners of the tray in approximately 1 to 2 hours.

8. Once ready, add olive oil, rosemary sprigs lightly wet to avoid burns, sea salt flakes, splash some water over the top and bake for 25 min in a preheated oven at 200 C / Gas mark 7.