Easy Same Day Focaccia

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Ingredients

• 500g (4 1/4 cups) white bread flour (12% protein content or higher)

• 420g (2 cups) warm water (between 100-110F, 38-43C)

• 6g (1 1/2 tsp) instant yeast

• 5g (1 teaspoon) honey

• 15g (1 Tbsp) extra virgin olive oil

• 10g (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt

Topping & Pan

• 5 Tablespoons (75ml) extra virgin olive oil or more as needed, divided

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 3–4 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, and rosemary (or 2 Tablespoons dried herbs)

• Sprinkle of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water, yeast, honey, oil, and salt until evenly combined. Tip your bread flour into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix with a spoon until all dry flour patches have disappeared. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise for 15 minutes at room temperature.

2. Stretch & Fold: After 15 minutes, preform the stretch and fold. This helps to develop the gluten in the dough for the bread structure. Wet your hands, grab a handful of dough from the 12 o'clock position, pull it up slightly and then pull it all the way up and over the bulk of the dough to the 6 o'clock position. Repeat this action on all sides of the dough until it feels like you've created tension and you can't stretch the dough up and over anymore (it should be tightened into a rough ball).

3. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes and then repeat the stretch and fold action one more time.

4. After the second set of stretch and folds, wet your hands, gather the dough and place it seam side down into the bowl so the top it pretty smooth (this helps prevent air bubbles from escaping).

5. First Rise: Cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature for 1.5 hours.

6. Prepare your 9x13" baking tray. Drizzle a tiny bit of oil on the tray and rub it all around and then place a sheet of nonstick parchment paper on top and press down. The oil helps the paper stick in place. Drizzle 2 Tablespoons of oil on the parchment and spread it evenly around the base and sides of the paper lining the tray.

7. Using a curved dough scraper, gently release the dough from the sides of the bowl and tip the dough into your oiled and lined tray.

8. Oil your hands, and fold one side of the dough towards the middle of the blob of dough. Repeat with the other side, kinda like folding a piece of paper into thirds (it will look like a burrito). Then, gently flip the dough so the seams from the folding are at the bottom and smooth side is at the top.

9. Cover the tray using another tray, inverted, this prevents the dough from drying out and forming a crust while it rises. If you don't have another tray, a plastic storage box can work too. Do not cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel because it will stick.

10. Second Rise: Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 1.5 hours. The dough should be mostly filling the space in the pan at this point. If it's not, oil your hands and from the underside of the dough, gently pull it towards the edges of the tray.

11. Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Allow it to heat for at least 10–15 minutes so every inch of the oven is very hot.

12. Prepare the Toppings: Whisk the 3 remaining Tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic and herbs. Set aside.

13. Dimpling and Topping: Using your fingers, dimple the dough all over the surface by pressing your fingers into the dough, gently touching the bottom of the tray. Just be mindful of the air pockets and try not to pop them by over dimpling. Drizzle on the olive oil topping and use your hands or a pastry brush to spread it all over the top. Add a little more olive oil if needed so the dough is completely covered. (This creates the crisp crust!) Sprinkle with a little coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.

14. Bake: Transfer the tray to the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. If desired, broil on high for the last minute to really brown the top. If you have a pizza stone, place the tray on top (this helps to evenly bake the focaccia).

15. Let the focaccia cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer it to a cooling rack so the bottom doesn't steam while sitting in the tray.

16. Serve and enjoy!

Notes:

• Storing Leftover: Cover leftover focaccia tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. You can also freeze the baked and cooled focaccia for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. To reheat the slices, you can use the microwave or bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 5 minutes.