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Recipe · Focaccia · Same-Day

82% Hydration Same-Day Focaccia

A flat, oil-rich loaf that bakes in a sheet pan and rewards short proofing with maximum crumb. Olive oil pools in the dimples, herbs fragrance the surface, and the bottom crust crisps in pooled fat.

Total time

5 hours

Active

60 minutes

Hydration

82%

Difficulty

⌬○○

A high-hydration dough wants to flatten on the counter. You manage it with folds instead of kneading, with a banneton instead of free-standing proof, and with a hot Dutch oven or stone that can hold the shape until the spring sets.

Same-day means start to finish in roughly four to six hours. The recipe leans on commercial yeast at a higher percentage and a warm bulk fermentation. You won't get cold-ferment depth, but the loaf is on the table the day you decide to bake.

Ingredients

800g total dough. Yields 1 focaccia in a 9x13 inch sheet pan.

Ingredient Grams Baker's %
Bread flour 421 g 100%
Water 345 g 82%
Salt 9.3 g 2.2%
Instant yeast 3.4 g 0.8%
Olive oil 21 g 5%

Schedule

  1. Hour 0
    Mix flour, water, yeast. Autolyse 20 minutes.
  2. Hour 0:20
    Add salt, mix until smooth.
  3. Hour 0:30
    First fold.
  4. Hour 1:00
    Second fold.
  5. Hour 1:30
    Third fold.
  6. Hour 2:00
    Bulk ferment until visibly puffy.
  7. Hour 3:30
    Pour into an oiled 9x13 sheet pan, stretch to corners, proof 45-60 minutes.
  8. Hour 5:00
    Dimple the surface deeply with all ten fingers, drizzle generously with olive oil, and add toppings (flaky salt, herbs). Bake at 425°F for 22 minutes until the bottom crust is crisp and golden.

Method tips for this style

Pour the dough into a generously oiled pan, oil your hands, and dimple the surface with all ten fingers right before the final proof. Drizzle more oil over the dimples just before baking.

What to expect

Maximum open crumb with large irregular holes throughout. The crust crisps in pooled olive oil; the interior is light and airy.

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