Overnight Focaccia
Overnight Focaccia
This overnight focaccia recipe is such a classic! There’s so much flavour from the rosemary and sea salt, and it’s really simple to make.
Italian focaccia bread is one of my favourite bread recipes. I love the versatility of it – it’s a great accompaniment to a saucy pasta dish, as a sandwich bread, or simply by itself. They don’t last very long in my house when I whip one up!Â
I’ve used a large focaccia pan (15” x 13” x 1.5”) so if you fancy a smaller focaccia you’ll want to reduce your quantities, or spread it into two pans if you don’t have one big enough.
I’d recommend using extra virgin olive oil for this focaccia bread recipe. The better the quality of oil you use, the better the flavour will be!
This is a no-knead focaccia recipe, but make sure you watch the video to see the folding technique!
For more popular bread recipes check out my soft milk bread recipe and my bread 101 video.
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Ingredients
Method
Add the bread flour, salt and yeast into a large bowl.
Add the water and olive oil to a jug and then pour this over the flour.
Stir the mixture together using your hands or a scraper until there are no more dry bits. It should only take about a minute.
Cover the dough with cling film and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, lightly wet your hand and grab the underside of the dough, stretch it up and fold it into the centre.
Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat this all the way around the bowl - a total of 4 folds.
Cover the dough and rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold process every 30 minutes for another 1.5 hours. You will do a total of 16 stretch and folds.
After you perform your final stretch and fold, lift the dough into an oiled container, cover it, and refrigerate overnight.
Pour some more olive oil into a bowl, and chop up some fresh rosemary, stir it through and let it infuse as the dough chills.
The next day, lightly oil the bottom of a large baking tray with the rosemary oil and spread the dough into the tin. Don’t worry if it doesn’t reach the edge. Lightly cover and proof for 1 to 1.5 hours, it should pretty much double in volume. It can take a bit longer on a cold day.
Pour some oil onto the dough and dimple it with your fingers. Sprinkle sea salt flakes on top and some more fresh rosemary.
Bake at 230C for 35-40 minutes. It should be a nice deep golden colour.
Once baked, drizzle olive oil on top while it’s hot. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin then transfer to a wire rack or it will go soggy on the bottom!
Ingredients
Directions
Add the bread flour, salt and yeast into a large bowl.
Add the water and olive oil to a jug and then pour this over the flour.
Stir the mixture together using your hands or a scraper until there are no more dry bits. It should only take about a minute.
Cover the dough with cling film and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, lightly wet your hand and grab the underside of the dough, stretch it up and fold it into the centre.
Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat this all the way around the bowl - a total of 4 folds.
Cover the dough and rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold process every 30 minutes for another 1.5 hours. You will do a total of 16 stretch and folds.
After you perform your final stretch and fold, lift the dough into an oiled container, cover it, and refrigerate overnight.
Pour some more olive oil into a bowl, and chop up some fresh rosemary, stir it through and let it infuse as the dough chills.
The next day, lightly oil the bottom of a large baking tray with the rosemary oil and spread the dough into the tin. Don’t worry if it doesn’t reach the edge. Lightly cover and proof for 1 to 1.5 hours, it should pretty much double in volume. It can take a bit longer on a cold day.
Pour some oil onto the dough and dimple it with your fingers. Sprinkle sea salt flakes on top and some more fresh rosemary.
Bake at 230C for 35-40 minutes. It should be a nice deep golden colour.
Once baked, drizzle olive oil on top while it’s hot. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin then transfer to a wire rack or it will go soggy on the bottom!
Can you please give a substitute on the fresh yeast? Thanks
Just use instant dry yeast, but use half the quantity of fresh yeast 🙂
Made this with pooling preferment from your book and it turned Absoulety amazing
So so glad!!
I just baked this and it’s by far the best recipe I used!! It’s perfection – crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Thank you!!
It’s the second time I use this recipe and it turns out fantastic. I love it and it’s super delicious.
Thank you!!
Hi – Is the temperature given for a fan or non fan oven please?
If using a fan, what 🌡 would you recommend please?
Many thanks in advance and I can’t wait to make this!
Non fan 🙂 If it is fan, lower it by 15C
Do we use warm room temp water or cold
Just tepid or cold is fine!
Will it be an issue if left for longer than overnight? (e.g. want to make it for Sunday lunch, can I make it Friday night?
I haven’t tested it myself but I would half the amount of yeast and then once you’ve done all the folds, lift it into the tin and chill covered for 36-48h in the fridge! Once ready, proof it in the tin at room temperature for 2 hours, then dimple your fingers into it and bake