Yes, you can make Focaccia in 1 day. Here’s how

Making bread really isn’t that difficult – but it is a lesson in patience – and believe me, no one has ever accused me of being patient. I can handle the series of stretching and folding movements, but waiting several days to finally have warm, fluffy bread is unsatisfactory. For this reason, I kept my favorite focaccia recipe on the shelf for years, even though it was delicious and a real crowd favorite at dinner parties and book club meetings.

But a few weeks ago I was hosting a wine night with some of my best friends, and I really wanted to make some whipped ricotta and focaccia for dipping. However, it was already morning and my favorite focaccia recipe requires an overnight rest. Despite my lack of foresight, I found this same day focaccia recipe and was blown away.

I’ve made my own adjustments to suit my preferences, but below I’m sharing my super simple same-day recipe that results in fluffy, classic-tasting bread that’s ready in just a few hours.

Read more: Make dough and bake delicious bread in your Instant Pot

Tools and ingredients to get started

Even if you’ve never baked bread at home, you probably still have all the ingredients and tools needed to make this focaccia. Here’s what you need to get started:

• One big bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Clear glass baking dish
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt
• Bread flour
• Fast-acting instant yeast
• Honey (can swap for sugar)
• Kitchen towel
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Toppings: Optional rosemary, olives, onions, chives, herbs and so on.

Baking is certainly more of a science than an art, but you can still have some creativity in the tools or brands you use and when it comes to the toppings to dress up the focaccia.

For the instant yeast I use RapidRise Instant Yeast from Fleischmann, which makes the dough rise faster in a shorter time. I also prefer to use King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour, as it always produces light and fluffy bread.

As for the olive oil, you don’t necessarily need a fancy, expensive brand to get that complex olive oil flavor. I use an extra virgin olive oil from Danilo Manco for my focaccia, but I have also used a standard, mild-tasting olive oil from Pompeia, which is available in any supermarket and still offers a high-quality taste.

In terms of tools, you don’t need anything high-end or special. You can use stainless steel, glass, ceramic or even plastic for your mixing bowl. All that matters is that it is large and round, which helps the bread maintain its structure while rising, but also gives you enough room to get your hands into the bowl to work the dough.

This is how you make focaccia on the same day

The best thing about focaccia is that it requires very little hands-on work. By combining all the measuring, mixing, stretching and folding, you’ll only be actively working with the bread for about 15 to 20 minutes. The rest is just the dough resting. In total you will have delicious focaccia in about 3 hours. Here’s how.

1. Start by pouring 420 ml of lukewarm water into your large bowl. Add 1.5 teaspoons of instant yeast, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and 1.5 teaspoons of sea salt. Mix thoroughly.

2. Add 4 cups of bread flour. Mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go, and the result will be a lumpy, wet dough.

3. Throw a tea towel over the bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes.

4. Start with your first set of stretching exercises. Grasp the top edge of the dough, pull it straight up a few inches, and then fold it over (like a taco), bringing the edge you’re holding toward the bottom of the dough into the dough. Turn your bowl 90 degrees and repeat your stretch and fold. Do this about five or six times.

5. Let your dough rest for another 15 minutes. Your dough should look much larger as the yeast works. Repeat the stretching and folding process a second time.

6. Cover again and let the dough rest at room temperature for an hour and a half.

7. About 5 minutes before your dough finishes resting, prepare your baking dish. Many bakers will recommend metal baking pans because they conduct heat better, but I’ve always had great results with glass (and I like to keep track of how brown the sides are getting). I put about three tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom and sides of my glass bowl to ensure the focaccia doesn’t stick. You can line the line with parchment paper if you wish, but it is not necessary.

8. Then carefully slide your dough from the bowl into the prepared baking sheet. Your dough should be large and mostly smooth.

9. Now fold the dough into thirds so that you can easily grab it and turn the dough over so that the smooth side is facing up. You can gently flatten the dough a little, but it is not a problem if the dough does not yet reach the edges of the baking tray. It will happen.

10. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a baking sheet and let it rest for another hour. Don’t worry, this is the final proof.

11. Now the fun part! It’s my favorite step, and probably your favorite step too, because it’s time to make dimples in the focaccia. Your dough should be spread out to the edges of the pan, so no stretching is necessary in this step. Simply brush your dough with a generous amount of olive oil and dimple to your heart’s content. Push your fingers all the way into the dough to get those classic bubbles.

12. Add toppings at this point. I usually keep it simple with salt, rosemary or sliced ​​olives, but you can make it as creative as you like.

13. Bake on the lowest rack of your oven for about 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. When you get close, check to see if your bread is almost golden brown and adjust your baking time accordingly.

And that’s all you need to do for a simple same-day focaccia. It may seem intimidating at first, but this recipe really doesn’t require much work and each time you repeat it you will become more comfortable with the stretch and fold technique.

I like to serve my focaccia warm with a charcuterie board or my favorite whipped ricotta dip drizzled with honey and lemon – and of course a bottle of red wine.

For more cooking tips, try this trick to make a poached egg in just 60 seconds and this method to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer.