No Knead Rosemary Focaccia (overnight recipe)
Make bakery-style focaccia at home while you sleep with this overnight recipe. Easy, no-knead dough with different topping options and that unparalleled crunchiness that signals this great Italian bread.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4 cups bread or all-purpose flour or a mix of both
- 2 cups room-temperature water NOT lukewarm or hot
- 1 ½ teaspoons active-dry east
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt
For the topping:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves or to taste, for the topping
- kosher or sea salt or to taste, for the topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 4 cups bread or all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons active-dry east, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and 1 ½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt.
- Gradually add 2 cups room-temperature water, mixing slowly. Use a spoon or spatula to help incorporate the ingredients until the dough is smooth and homogeneous. Let the dough rest for a few minutes to allow it to gain structure.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30–40 minutes in a warm place. The dough should double in size.
Folding the Dough:
- Lightly oil your hands with olive oil to prevent sticking. Gently fold the dough by lifting it from the edges and folding it over itself in an enveloping motion. Repeat a few times to strengthen the dough structure, pulling from a different side each time.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 12 hours or overnight.
Shaping the Dough:
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and dump it on a 9.5 x 13.5 inch (24 x 34 cm) baking tray that has been generously greased with olive oil. Overnight focaccia dough is wetter than typical bread dough. Don’t panic if it feels sticky; it should.
- Gently stretch the dough onto the tray and fold it over itself (like a letter) from one side to the other. Repeat for the other side. Let the dough rest in the tray for 1 to 1.5 hours in a warm place, or until it doubles in size again.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C), a high temperature.
- Using your fingers dipped in oil, create dimples by pressing gently into the dough with your fingertips.
For the topping:
- Drizzle ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil over the dough and sprinkle 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves and kosher or sea salt, to taste, evenly over the surface. The dimples will create pockets for the olive oil and toppings.
- Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown on top and cooked through.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven and let it cool down on a wire rack until warm before cutting or it will be pasty.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Water temperature: Use room temperature or slightly cool water for overnight focaccia. This is not what I usually advise for recipes with yeast. But lukewarm water makes the yeast work too quickly and can cause the dough to overproof (rise more than it should too fast).
Use a large bowl: The dough expands a lot overnight, so make sure your bowl has enough room. Trust me on this; overflowing bread dough is messy! Lightly oil it so it doesn’t stick.
Baking time: Consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Olive oil is non-negotiable! It's essential for the flavor and texture of the focaccia, especially the top, which will be incredibly crunchy. So use the best extra virgin one you can afford.
Use regular or kosher salt for the dough, and semi-coarse or flaky salt (like sea salt) for the topping: I use kosher salt for both. Don't sprinkle regular table salt on top.
It freezes very well: I like to keep a baked focaccia in the freezer. I thaw it at room temperature, cut it into sticks or squares and warm it briefly before eating. You can also warm the whole focaccia and then cut it.
