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Recipes

Overnight Focaccia

A golden dimpled focaccia with rosemary and flaky salt in a dark sheet pan, one corner cut into squares

A crisp-bottomed, airy focaccia that does most of its work in the fridge while you sleep.

By Spatulab Kitchen · Published

Prep
20 min
Cook
25 min
Total
13 hr
Servings
12
Yield
One 9x13-inch pan
Tags

Ingredients

Dough

  • 500 g bread flour
  • 400 g water (lukewarm)
  • 10 g fine sea salt
  • 3 g instant yeast

Pan and topping

  • 4 tbsp (54 g) olive oil (divided)
  • 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked
  • flaky salt
Baker's percentages
IngredientBaker's %
bread flour100%
water80%
olive oil10.8%
salt2%
instant yeast0.6%

Method

  1. Stir the flour, water, salt, and yeast in a large bowl until no dry flour remains. The dough will be sticky.
  2. Cover and rest 30 minutes, then do four sets of stretch-and-folds, 15 minutes apart.
  3. Cover tightly and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
  4. Pour 3 tablespoons oil into a 9x13-inch pan, tip in the cold dough, and turn it to coat. Let it rise at room temperature until puffy and jiggly, 2 to 4 hours.
  5. Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Oil your fingers and dimple the dough all the way to the pan. Scatter with rosemary, the remaining oil, and flaky salt.
  6. Bake until deep golden on top and crisp underneath, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before cutting.

Why overnight?

A long, cold rise does two things: it builds flavor (the yeast works slowly and makes more interesting byproducts), and it makes an 80% hydration dough much easier to handle. Cold dough holds together; warm dough runs.

Timing

Mix after dinner, bake the next afternoon. Or refrigerate up to 48 hours for an even tangier loaf.