Italian
Focaccia Genovese
Ligurian focaccia with an olive-oil brine, baked until dimpled, golden, and airy with a salty crust and tender, elastic crumb.
8 servings · 760 minutes prep · 25 minutes cook
Ingredients
Main
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon barley malt syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Directions
Method
- In a mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, water, fine sea salt, instant yeast, barley malt syrup, and 2 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil into a sticky dough.
- Knead or fold until the dough is elastic and cohesive, then cover and refrigerate for 8-12 hours.
- Oil a 13-by-18-inch sheet pan generously with more extra-virgin olive oil. Transfer the chilled dough to the pan and stretch it gradually, resting it whenever it resists, until it nearly fills the pan.
- Proof until airy and jiggly, 2-3 hours. Heat the oven to 475F.
- Whisk the warm water with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and the coarse sea salt. Dimple the dough deeply with oiled fingers and pour the salamoia over the surface.
- Bake until the focaccia is golden on top, crisp at the edges, and cooked through, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
