Pillow-Soft Focaccia: A Quick and Easy 4-Ingredient Recipe!
To produce a soft and fluffy focaccia, using chilled dough is essential, as it can rest in the refrigerator for 18 to 24 hours or be prepared in just 3 hours, with a simple 4-ingredient recipe that requires only 5 minutes of hands-on time.
Marthinus StrydomThe Story
The key to producing delightful focaccia is by using chilled dough. If you let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 18 to 24 hours, you will get an incredibly soft and fluffy result. However, if you're in a hurry, you can prepare it entirely in just 3 hours. This recipe, which includes only 4 ingredients, necessitates only 5 minutes of active preparation.
Focaccia is a flatbread that originated in ancient Rome, where it was called "panis focacius." It was a simple bread made with wheat flour, water, olive oil, and salt, and it was baked on a hot hearth or tile.
Over time, focaccia spread throughout Italy and became a staple of Genoese cuisine, where it was typically flavored with olive oil and herbs, such as rosemary. In Liguria, the region around Genoa, focaccia became so popular that it was eaten as a meal, often accompanied by cheese, ham, or other toppings.
Today, focaccia is enjoyed throughout Italy and around the world, with many variations and regional specialties. It has also been adapted to suit modern tastes and dietary restrictions, with gluten-free and vegan versions available.
More about Italy
Italy is one of those countries about which you probably have quite a number of preconceptions before you have put one foot into the country. A country of olive oil and mafia, pasta, wine and sunshine, roman ruins and renaissance palaces, Italy has a lot to offer its visitors. Although some of these images are appealing, it would be a shame if that was the only thing you come away with. Italy is certainly much more complex and interesting than that.
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Ingredients
Method
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together 500g (4 cups) flour, 10g (2 teaspoons) salt, and 7g (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast.
- Add 360ml (1 1/2 cups) water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball.
- Rub the surface of the dough lightly with 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil.
- Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, cloth bowl cover, or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator immediately for at least 12 hours or for as long as three days.
- NOTE: It is important the dough really be slicked with olive oil especially if you are using a cloth bowl cover or tea towel as opposed to plastic wrap or a hard lid. If you do not slick the dough with enough oil, you risk the dough drying out and forming a crust over the top layer.
- Line two 8- or 9-inch pie plates (20-23 cm) or a 9×13-inch (23x33 cm) pan (see notes above) with parchment paper or grease with butter or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pour 15ml (1 tablespoon) of oil into the center of each pan or 30ml (2 tablespoons) of oil if using the 9×13-inch pan.
- Using two forks, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl in quarter turns as you deflate, turning the mass into a rough ball.
- Use the forks to split the dough into two equal pieces (or do not split if using the 9×13-inch pan). Place one piece into one of the prepared pans.
- Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over, forming a rough ball. Repeat with the remaining piece.
- Let the dough balls rest for 3 to 4 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 220°C (425°F). If using the rosemary, sprinkle it over the dough. Pour 15ml (1 tablespoon) of oil over each round of dough (or 30ml/2 tablespoons if using a 9×13-inch pan). Rub your hands lightly in the oil to coat, then, using all of your fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples.
- If necessary, gently stretch the dough as you dimple to allow the dough to fill the pan. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt all over.
- Transfer the pans or pan to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp.
- Remove the pans or pan from the oven and transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack. Let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving; let it cool completely if you are halving it with the intention of making a sandwich.
