Easy Focaccia Bread

Top it simply with coarse sea salt and fresh rosemary, or get creative with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or caramelized onions—the possibilities are endless.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 500g, All-purpose flour, or Bread flour
• 12g Kosher salt
• 27g Instant yeast or 1 packet
• 473ml Warm tap water
• 5g Soft butter for greasing pans
• 59ml, Olive oil divided

For topping:

• Italian seasoning or finely chopped fresh herbs
• Flaky sea salt

Directions:

The Dough:

1. In a medium-large bowl, combine flour, salt, and instant yeast. Stir well. Add warm water and mix with a Danish whisk, wooden spoon, or spatula until no dry flour remains.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.

Shape and rise:

1. Lightly grease two 9-inch cake pans with soft butter, then line with parchment paper. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the center of each pan.
2. Divide dough in half and place one portion in each pan, turning to coat. Tuck edges under to form rough balls.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2–3 hours, until dough fills most of the pan.

Dimple and bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 450˚F with a rack in the center of the oven.
2. Drizzle each dough round with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. With oiled fingers, press deep dimples all the way to the bottom of the pan. Stretch dough gently if needed to fill the pan.
3. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning or fresh herbs and finish with flaky sea salt. Let rest for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
4. Place pans in oven and immediately reduce temperature to 425˚F.
5. Bake for 22-28 minutes, or until tops are golden and bottoms are crisp. Remove from oven, lift bread from pans, and transfer to a cooling rack.
   To serve and store:
6. Enjoy warm, or let cool completely and store in a zip-top bag.
7. To Freeze Let focaccia cool fully, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp or warm in a 350˚F oven for 10 minutes.