Super Easy No-Knead Focaccia with Rosemary, Garlic & Olives

There is something so satisfying about making homemade bread. But I do find that many bread recipes require a lot of patience, sometimes more than a day of patience is required and what sometimes seem like endless kneading and rolling and just waiting around. But this no-knead focaccia recipe requires very little elbow grease and no kneading at all and can be completed in 5 hours, it actually only requires about 5 minutes of actual manual work with your hands. The rest is just waiting for the dough to do its thing. 

The result is an Italian bread that has a thin crisp crust with a pillowy soft center. Yes some planning is required to make this recipe, but I've laid out the steps all in order making this a very easy focaccia recipe to follow. but the The flavors from the toppings such as olives, sweet roasted garlic, sea salt and fresh rosemary almost make this a meal in itself. The light crispy texture on the outside and the fluffy and soft texture on the inside makes it very difficult to just stop eating at one sandwich only!

At the end of this recipe you’ll feel like a somewhat accomplished baker even if this is your first attempt at making bread.

About this recipe: interesting facts about where it came from and bust myths

About this recipe
 The dough ingredients
are simple of flour, water, salt olive oil and toppings but the olive oil is an important key element and can really add to the flavor and additionally giving it its delightful crust with a soft and tender crumb.

The toppings
 The toppings for the top of the focaccia are extremely versatile I’ve made it with sundried tomatoes, different cheeses, eggs, pancetta and small sausage pieces. The toppings and spice options are endless depending on how crazy you want to get. But my absolute favorite is garlic, rosemary, olives and real good quality salt. 
 I try not to add too many competing flavors and ingredients as I find that it gets messy. I feel that this recipe, has the perfect balance of spice, herbs and toppings to complement that light crusty and soft bread.

Essential Ingredients: talk about interesting ingredient facts

High Hydration dough 

The Olive Oil
You'll need more than a few tablespoons of good quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. Don't let the amount of extra-virgin olive oil scare you  Focaccia loves a lot of olive oil!

Is the overnight rise necessary?
Many focaccia recipes require an overnight rise, usually in the fridge. But this recipe does not require this step and I promise you, the result is a delicious bread that probably won't last till the next day.

Equipment you need
Luckily no special equipment is needed to make this homemade focaccia bread.
- parchment paper if you don't have a non-stick baking pan

- Baking tray
- Hot oven

Recipe Ingredients:

4 cups (500 grams) high protein or bread flour 
400 grams warm water
2 teaspoons of flaky sea salt (10 grams)
2 tablespoons of olive oil (26 grams)
10 grams of instant yeast
 

Toppings 
15 Garlic cloves
1/2 cup Olive oil
3 fresh rosemary sprigs taken off the stems
15 Pimento or Kalamata Olives cut in half
 ½ tablespoon of sea salt (grams)

Additional ingredients
 Olive oil for baking sheet and the dough ½ cup

Baking paper because I don’t have a non stick sheet pan

2 cups Ml Water to wet your fingers

Cooking steps:
Step 1. Prepping the toppings and making the garlic confit
Place ½ cup of olive oil in a pan on low heat along with the garlic and and one sprig of rosemary olive oil on low heat for 10 minutes. And set aside and take out the rosemary sprig. Keep the olive oil for later and also set aside the garlic.
 
Step 2. Cut all the olives in half and set aside and take off the rosemary leaves from the stem and place in the saved olive oil from step 1.
 
Step 3. Making the focaccia dough
In a large bowl, mix water, yeast, olive oil and salt. Mix until the salt has mostly dissolved into the water, add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula. What you are after is a sticky and wet dough, cover with plate and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature and do the  first stretch and fold with a wet hand. Total you’ll do 4 series of stretch and folds with 30-minute intervals. You can watch the video to see exactly 
 
Step 4. After final 4th stretch and transfer to a well-oiled (4tbsp) non stick deep sheet pan or tray. If you don’t have a non-stick one then place baking paper on it and spread with 4 tbsp of olive oil. dump out the dough into the baking pan and drizzle another 3 tbsp of olive oil and spread it across the top with your hands and let the dough rise for a second time with 60 minutes on the clock. Do not dimple the do yet!

You'll see some air bubbles rise up from the dough. I like to keep them in as they become beautifully crispy.
 

Step 5. After 60 minutes drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil again and dimple the dough with your fingers. Press the dimples almost all the way down to the bottom of the tray and shake till your fingers hit the bottom of the pan. You can see the video to see how I do it.
 
Step 6. Turn the oven on at 200 degrees. While the oven heats up, place the olives, garlic cloves into each dimple and spread the rosemary leaves across the top of the dough with another sprinkle of rock salt ontop.

Step 7. Place the dough on the middle tray of the oven for 24 minutes using my oven, but not all ovens are the same. Essentially you’ll want a nice light golden brown color ontop of your focaccia.

What you should be left with eating is a pillowy soft focaccia bread with a thin but crispy outer layer that. 

What to serve it with

• You can simply enjoy it as it is or with some soft butter spread ontop

• The focaccia is thick enough to cut in half and open up and use as a sandwich bread. Add ham and cheese with some thin slices of tomato.

• Another delicious option is to spread it with your favorite pate or garlic butter

Topping Variations

- Sundried or cherry tomatoes