Focaccia Recipe, with Pissaladiere-style options
You want the satisfaction of getting those big airy bubbles in focaccia, then this is the way, with the optional (not optional!) topping it with caramlized onions, olives and anchovies to make it Mediterranean pissaladiere style.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 195kcal
Ingredients
For the Focaccia Bread
- 1 ¼-ounce package active dry yeast ~ 2¼ teaspoons or 7 grams
- 2 cups water ~ 470 grams, "sunny day" warm, between 80-100³F
- 1 tablespoon olive oil ~ 15 grams, plus more for the pan and drizzling
- 4 cups all-purpose flour fluffed with a fork, and leveled in measuring cup ~ 560 grams
- 2 teaspoons sea salt ~ 10 grams
- chopped rosemary or other sturdy fresh herbs, coated in olive oil optional
For the Onion, Olive, Anchovy "Pissaladière" Topping
- 2-3 large yellow or white onions sliced ¼-inch thick and lightly caramelized
- 1 cup Castelveltrano olives pitted, or any briny type you like
- 12-14 fillets anchovies from one tin
- sea salt
Instructions
Prepare Dough ~ 35 minutes
- In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, combine ¼-ounce package active dry yeast and 2 tablespoons of the water, stir to dissolve and let sit until you see it foaming, about 15 minutes. If it doesn’t bubble, your yeast is not alive and you need to start with new yeast.
- Once the yeast has started to bubble, add the remaining water from the 2 cups, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 cups flour, and 2 teaspoons sea salt to the bowl and stir until a shaggy, sticky dough forms in the bowl, about 15-20 turns with a spoon or 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and set aside in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
Stretch and Fold Series, ~ 1½ hours
- After 30 minutes of resting, uncover the dough; save the plastic wrap. The dough will have expanded slightly. Dip your hands in water to keep the dough from sticking. Gently pick up the far end of the dough out of the bowl doing so slowly and gently to avoid tearing the dough. Fold the dough over itself toward you. Turn the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat the stretch and fold of the dough. Turn the bowl, stretch, and fold the dough two more times for a total of four folds. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Repeat the stretch and fold process 3 more times at 30-minute intervals, for a total of 4 folds. From the first to last stretch-and-fold, you will have spent 1½ hours.
Rise and Ferment ~18-48 hours
- Lightly slick the top of the dough with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge overnight, for at least 18 hours, and up to 48 hours.
- Or, if you want a quicker result, you can skip the cold rise/fermentation in the fridge completely. Instead, you can simply allow the dough to sit one last time at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
Bake Focaccia Bread ~ 2½ -4½ hours
- Remove bowl from refrigerator. Do 1 full set of four stretches and folds on the dough in the bowl.
- Drizzle 9x13 pan with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, and brush to evenly cover the entire surface.
- Slide the dough out into the oiled pan. It will not fill the pan yet. That’s ok. Cover the pan and set aside for at least 2 hours, up to 4 hours. The dough will come to room temperature, spread and rise.
- After 2-4 hours, pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
- Uncover the pan. Coat your hands with olive oil and stretch the dough gently toward the edges of the pan without tearing the dough. The dough may not reach all the way to the edges. That’s ok.
- Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Press your fingertips straight down through the top surface of the dough to the bottom of the pan to create dimples all over. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and chopped herbs that are coated with a little olive oil if using.
- Pissaladière-style: If you are making it pissaladière style, cover the top of the focaccia with caramelized onions, dot with olives pressing the olives firmly into the dough, and then evenly scatter anchovy fillets over top.
- Bake the Focaccia Bread for 20-25 minutes until deeply golden brown.
- Remove baked Focaccia Bread from the oven. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then lift out of pan and continue to cool for at least another 10 minutes before cutting.
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Notes
Store any leftover Focaccia bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze the bread for up to 3 months.
Nutrition information estimates based on 1 serving of Focaccia Bread only, which is 1/10 of bread.
For Focaccia Bread with Pissaladière style toppings, per serving: 307 calories, 10.5 grams protein, 6.8 grames fat, 2.5 grams fiber.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 195kcal | Protein: 5.8g | Fat: 1.4g | Fiber: 1.3g