Garlic & Herb Focaccia

Same-day garlic & herb focaccia with a crisp olive-oil-fried bottom, airy crumb, and deeply golden top, finished with buttery garlic, parsley, rosemary, and flaky salt.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Activate the yeast (10 minutes): In a large bowl, whisk together 425 g warm water (100–105°F), 10 g honey and 6 g active dry yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes, until slightly foamy.

Step 2

Mix in the flour (15 minutes): Add 500 g bread flour and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be wet and sticky. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Add salt and olive oil (15 minutes): Add 11 g salt and 20 g olive oil. Use wet hands to squeeze and fold until incorporated (2–3 minutes). Cover and rest for 15 minutes.

Step 4

Stretch and fold (3 rounds): Do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds, 15 minutes apart. For each set, grab one side, stretch it up and fold over the center. Rotate bowl and repeat on all four sides. Cover and rest 15 minutes between sets.

Step 5

First rise (60 minutes): Cover and let the dough rise in a warm spot (75–80°F) for 60 minutes, or until roughly doubled, puffy and bubbly.

Step 6

Pan the dough (15 minutes): Add 25 g olive oil to a 9 x 13-inch metal pan and coat well. Transfer the dough to the pan (don’t punch it down). Gently stretch toward the corners. Cover and rest 15 minutes, then stretch again.

Step 7

Final rise (60–75 minutes): Cover and let rise until very puffy and jiggly, with visible bubbles. This usually takes 60–75 minutes.

Step 8

Make the garlic-herb mixture (5 minutes): Melt 35 g butter over low heat. Add 15 g garlic and cook 60–90 seconds (don’t brown). Remove from heat. Stir in 25 g olive oil, 10 g parsley and 3 g rosemary.

Step 9

Dimple and top: Pour about ⅔ of the garlic-herb mixture over the dough. Use oiled fingers to press deep dimples all over, to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with 3–4 g flaky sea salt.

Step 10

Bake (22–28 minutes): Bake at 450°F (230°C) on a lower-middle rack for 22–28 minutes, until deeply golden brown on top and crisp on the bottom.

Step 11

Finish and cool: Immediately brush with the remaining garlic-herb mixture and a pinch of flaky salt. Rest in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Let cool 10–15 minutes before cutting.