The no-knead focaccia is a very easy-to-make leavened bread perfect for an aperitif, appetizer, or buffet, perhaps served with a nice charcuterie board. A really simple recipe, similar to my basic pizza dough. To prepare it, you won’t need a stand mixer, but a bowl, a simple spoon, and a bit of patience. The dough, initially mixed with a spoon, will need a few minutes of rest between folds before letting it rise for a couple of hours.
After the rising time, all that’s left is to spread the focaccia in the baking pan and drizzle it with an emulsion of water, oil, and salt before baking it in the oven. A very soft, fluffy, and delicious rustic bread, also perfect for birthday parties. Curious to find out how to make it? Then read the recipe, because the no-knead focaccia will be ready in a click!
If you’re interested in other focaccia recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very affordable
- Rest time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 392.09 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 74.45 (g) of which sugars 1.02 (g)
- Proteins 9.66 (g)
- Fat 8.95 (g) of which saturated 1.43 (g)of which unsaturated 1.45 (g)
- Fibers 13.10 (g)
- Sodium 1,360.72 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 133 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4 3/4 cups flour (W 350 or type 1)
- 1 3/4 cups water (at room temperature)
- 1 tsp dry yeast
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp water (at room temperature)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- coarse salt (to taste)
Tools
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Baking Pan rectangular 12 x 16
Steps
First, pour the room-temperature water into a bowl along with the oil and yeast, and stir. Then add the flour and start mixing with a spoon. As soon as the flour absorbs the liquids, add the salt and continue mixing with the spoon until you get a more compact dough. Now cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. Then take the dough and bring the edges of the dough towards the center with slightly damp hands or a spoon. Cover again with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Repeat this operation 3 times. Then, take the dough and turn it over onto a lightly floured work surface. Do another round of folds this way. Cover it with the bowl and let it rest for another 15 minutes. After the resting time, do reinforcement folds. Gently flatten the dough to form a rectangle and fold it in half, bringing one end over the other. Turn the dough again and repeat the same operation 2 more times. Seal the dough well and let it rise in the bowl, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 2 hours or until it doubles in volume. To help, you can place the bowl in the oven with the light on.
After the rising time, take the bowl and turn the dough out onto the previously oiled baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap or a dishcloth and let rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the emulsion to put on top of the focaccia. To make it easier, I mixed everything in an empty glass jar. Pour in the water, oil, and salt into the jar, close with the lid, and shake well for a few moments.
Take the focaccia again and pour the emulsion over the entire surface. Then make dimples all over the surface with your fingers, ensuring the emulsion is evenly distributed. Finally, bake the focaccia in a preheated static oven at 482°F for 10 minutes on the lower part of the oven. Then place the pan at mid-height and finish baking for another 8 minutes or until the surface is golden.
Remove the focaccia from the oven, let it cool, cut it into squares or rectangles with a knife, and serve.
Variations and Tips for No-Knead Focaccia
The no-knead focaccia can be frozen in special bags or kept in a cool, dry place for up to one day.
FAQ Questions and Answers for No-Knead Focaccia
Can I use fresh yeast instead of dry yeast?
Yes, it is possible to replace the dry yeast with 3 g of fresh yeast. The conversion ratio to keep in mind is 1:3
