Olive Oil Focaccia with Sea Salt

Ingredients

• Dough

  500 g bread flour

  use bread flour, not self-rising flour

• 7 g instant yeast

  about one standard 1/4-ounce packet; check freshness

• 8 g fine table salt

  for the dough; weigh because salt volumes vary

• 400 g water

  400 ml, comfortably lukewarm at about 95°F (35°C)

• 20 g extra-virgin olive oil

  for the dough

• Pan and topping

  40 g extra-virgin olive oil

  20 g for the pan and 20 g for dimpling and topping; no extra oil needed

• 2 g flaky sea salt

  weighed, for the top

Directions

1. Mix the dough and give it two gentle folds

   Stir the bread flour, instant yeast and fine salt together in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm water and 20 g olive oil. Mix thoroughly until there are no pockets of dry flour. The dough should be sticky and soft; do not add flour to make it easy to knead. Cover and rest for 15 minutes. Moisten your fingertips with water, lift one side of the dough and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl and repeat from the other three sides. Cover for another 15 minutes, then repeat the four folds once more. These two sets replace counter kneading.

2. Let the dough rise until airy

   Cover the bowl and leave at about 72–77°F (22–25°C) for another 45–60 minutes, until the dough is roughly doubled from its original mixed volume, soft and visibly aerated. Including the two short rests, this first rise takes about 75–90 minutes. Use the change in volume and bubbles as your guide; a cool room takes longer. Keep the bowl away from a hot oven or direct heat.

3. Proof in the pan, then dimple and season

   Line the base and sides of a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) metal pan with temperature-rated parchment and spread 20 g olive oil over the base. Scrape in the risen dough and turn it gently to coat the underside. Ease it toward the corners without tearing; if it resists, wait 10 minutes, then gently stretch again. Cover loosely, leaving room above the dough, and let rise for 45–60 minutes until puffy and relaxed across the pan. This includes any short pause while stretching. During the final 20 minutes, heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) conventional or 400°F (200°C) fan. Drizzle the remaining 20 g oil over the dough, use some of that oil on your fingertips and press dimples across the surface almost to the base without tearing holes. Scatter the 2 g flaky salt evenly.

4. Bake until golden and cool before cutting

   Bake on the middle rack for 25–30 minutes, until the surface is golden and the edges are deeply colored. Rotate once if your oven browns unevenly. Carefully lift a corner with a spatula to check that the base is browned rather than pale and damp; if needed, bake a few minutes longer. Remove the pan from the oven. After 5 minutes, lift the focaccia out using the parchment and place on a wire rack. Let it cool for at least another 15 minutes, then remove the paper and cut into 12 pieces, making four columns and three rows. Take care with hot oil and the metal pan.