Focaccia

Focaccia

30 min bake, 240°C, overnight prove, serves 12

Ingredients

Makes one large tray

plain flour      800g
water            600g
olive oil        50g
instant yeast    3g
honey            15g
fine sea salt    9g

For the pan
olive oil        60g

Brine (into the dimples)
water            80g
fine sea salt    5g

To finish
olive oil        40g
flaky sea salt   generous pinch

The oil quantities are not a typo. Ligurian focaccia is generous at every stage and this is what makes it taste like itself.
The brine poured into the dimples is the key technique. It seasons the inside and creates the characteristic chewy salty pockets. Do not skip it.
Use as hot an oven as your domestic oven will go. 240°C is correct.

Recipe

Night before

1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the water, yeast and honey until dissolved. Pour the yeast mixture and olive oil into the flour and mix until a rough sticky dough forms with no dry patches. Cover and leave at room temperature for 12-14 hours until doubled and bubbly on the surface.

Day of

2. Pour the 60g of olive oil into a large rimmed baking tray (about 46x33cm). Tilt to coat completely. You want a proper puddle of oil, not a thin film.

3. Scrape the dough onto the oiled tray. With oiled hands, gently stretch it toward the edges. It will spring back. Leave it to relax for 5 minutes then stretch again. Repeat over 30 minutes until it reaches the edges.

4. Push three fingers firmly all over the dough to make deep dimples. Press all the way down.

5. Mix the brine salt into the 80g of water until dissolved. Pour evenly over the dimpled dough. It will pool in the holes.

6. Leave uncovered for 45 minutes until visibly puffed. Heat the oven to 240°C during this time.

7. Scatter flaky salt across the surface. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and the bottom is deep golden brown when you lift a corner.

8. Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle over the finishing olive oil. It will sizzle. Tilt to spread.

9. Leave in the tray for 5 minutes, then slide onto a wire rack. Rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting.