Easy Olive Focaccia

6 hours 20 mins Prep Time

30 mins Cook Time

Written By

Christine Peddie

Whether you became a bread-baking guru during the city's first COVID lockdown or you've still to try your hand at the doughy art form, this focaccia is a simple, satisfying endeavour. If you start early in the day, it can be ready by the time dinner is served, requires no physical exertion and tastes sublime. Oil-slicked and fragrant, with an oven-crisped crust, this is a bread that you'll crave no matter what's on the menu.

Based on Sarah Jampel's Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia for Bon Appetit, this focaccia needs little more description. Though I've used olives here, you can top it any way you like based on what your quarantine pantry can provide. Try cherry or sun-dried tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, a flurry of herbs, eat it plain or go a sweeter route with apples or berries.

This focaccia is easier to make than other bread and a wonderful addition to almost any meal. With this recipe as a stepping stone, there's no telling what kind of artful loaves you may soon be cranking out.

Ingredients

Easy Olive Focaccia

2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
2 teaspoons honey
2 1/2 cups warm water
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons rosemary, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Maldon sea salt flakes
Zest of one lemon

Directions

Easy Olive Focaccia

8 Steps

Step 1

Mix together yeast, honey and warm water in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, until cloudy and foamy. If yeast doesn’t foam it may be dead and need replacing.
Step 2

Mix together flour and salt in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and mix together with a spatula until combined into a soft dough.
Step 3

Coat a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a silicone lid. Allow to sit in a warm spot for 3-4 hours, until doubled in size. If you’re not in a rush, put bowl in fridge and allow to rise overnight.
Step 4

Using your hands or a fork or spatula, gently lift one side of dough and fold back into centre of bowl. Turn the bowl and continue working to deflate and shape dough into a ball.
Step 5

Generously butter a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Transfer dough to pan and spread out lightly. Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t reach the edges of the pan. Coat dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and allow to rise, uncovered, in a warm spot for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Step 6

Preheat oven to 450°F. Set a rack in the middle of the oven. Test to see if the dough is ready by pressing your finger gently into it. If it’s ready, it will spring back slowly. If it doesn’t, allow it to rise a while longer.
Step 7

If ready, dimple dough all over with your fingers, spreading to edges of pan. Toss together remaining olive oil, olives, fennel seeds, rosemary and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Garnish dough with olive mixture. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
Step 8

Bake focaccia for 25-30 minutes, until deeply golden brown. Remove focaccia to a wire rack and, once cooled, garnish with lemon zest.