I used to be so intimidated by bread making. Focaccia is one of the best things to try if you’re new to bread making because it’s quite simple. The magic ingredient with focaccia is time.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Inactive Time: 28 Hours

Bake Time: 30 Minutes

Total Time: 29 Hours

Ingredients:

2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) Active Dry Yeast

1 Tbs (12g) Honey

2 ½ Cups (600mL) Lukewarm Water

5 Cups (600g) All Purpose Flour

1 Tbs (16g) Kosher Salt

¾ Cup (180mL) Olive Oil

3 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1 Small Shallot, Roughly Chopped

2 Tbs (20g) Fresh Minced Rosemary

Flaky Sea Salt

Directions:

1.     Combine the yeast, water, and honey and set aside to let the yeast activate for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.

2.     Add the yeast mixture and half of the flour to a large bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until combined, then add the salt and the rest of the flour. Continue stirring until a wet dough forms.

3.     Pour 1/3 cup of the olive oil in a large bowl, then add the dough on top of that. Fold each corner of the dough up and over itself to form it into a ball, ensuring it’s coated in olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

4.     Once the dough is chilled, it should have doubled in volume. Punch the dough down, place it in a 9x13 inch dish that has another 1/3 cup of olive oil in it spread around. Press the dough into the dish, then cover loosely with plastic and allow to sit at room temperature for 2-4 more hours, until doubled in size, bubbly and jiggly. Preheat your oven to 450 Degrees F.

5.     Drizzle more olive oil on top of the dough and sprinkle all the toppings, the garlic, rosemary, shallot, and pepper. Use your fingers to push dimples down into the dough, then bake for 30-35 minutes until deep golden brown.

6.     Allow to cool for 30 minutes before cutting.