Focaccia - Super easy! - SaporEat

Focaccia - Super easy!

Happy No-Knead Focaccia

Soft, Golden, and Ridiculously Easy

Few breads are as joyful to bake as focaccia. Crisp on the outside, airy inside, and soaked with olive oil, it’s the kind of bread that disappears from the table before it even cools.

This no-knead focaccia recipe keeps things simple. With just flour, water, yeast, olive oil and patience, the dough develops beautiful bubbles and a light texture — no complicated techniques required.

Think of it as effortless Italian baking: mix, rest, fold, and bake until golden.

🕒 Prep: 20 minutes | Rest & Fermentation: 3–4 hours | Bake: 20 minutes | Serves: 4–6

Why No-Knead Focaccia Works

Traditional focaccia dough is soft and highly hydrated, which helps create the signature airy crumb.

Instead of kneading, this method relies on resting and folding. As the dough rests, gluten develops naturally, creating structure and elasticity.

The result:

  • a light, bubbly interior
  • a crispy golden crust
  • rich flavour from olive oil and slow fermentation

It’s simple bread with big character.

Ingredients

From Our Kitchen to Yours

  • 500 g strong bread flour
  • 7 g instant yeast
  • 10 g salt
  • 400 ml cold water
  • 50 ml extra virgin olive oil

Optional Toppings

  • Coarse sea salt
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs
  • Olives

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Oven tray
Baking parchment
Kitchen towel or cling film

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mix the Dough

Add the flour to a large bowl.

Pour in 350 ml of the cold water and mix with a wooden spoon or your hand until a rough, sticky dough forms.

There is no kneading required — just mix until everything is combined.

2. First Rest (Autolyse)

Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or cling film.

Let the dough rest for about 2 hours.

This resting period helps the flour absorb water and begin developing gluten naturally.

3. Add Yeast, Salt and Oil

Dissolve the yeast in a small amount of water and add it to the dough.

Fold the dough from the bottom upward until the yeast is absorbed.

Next, dissolve the salt in the remaining 50 ml of water and mix it into the dough.

Finally, add the olive oil and continue folding until fully incorporated.

Cover the bowl again.

4. Second Rise

Allow the dough to rise for 1–2 hours.

During this time the dough will expand and develop bubbles.

5. Fold the Dough

Every 30–40 minutes, wet your hands and gently fold the dough over itself.

Each fold strengthens the dough and helps trap air inside.

The more folds you do, the more structure and bubbles the focaccia will develop.

6. Prepare the Focaccia

Line an oven tray with baking parchment and drizzle with olive oil.

Transfer the dough onto the tray.

Gently stretch the dough toward the edges of the tray. If it springs back, let it rest for a few minutes and try again.

With time the dough will relax and fill the tray naturally.

7. Create the Signature Dimples

Using your fingertips, press gently into the dough to create small dimples across the surface.

Repeat this every 20 minutes as the dough relaxes and spreads.

This step helps develop the airy structure that focaccia is known for.

8. Bake

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Before baking, sprinkle the dough with:

  • coarse sea salt

  • fresh rosemary (optional)

Bake for about 20 minutes, until the focaccia is golden and crisp.

9. Cool and Enjoy

Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.

Slice and enjoy while still warm.

Focaccia is perfect on its own, but it also makes incredible sandwiches.

Try filling it with:

  • prosciutto and mozzarella
  • salami and rocket
  • tomatoes and basil

Anything goes.

Chef’s Tips

Don’t Rush the Resting

The dough improves with time. Longer rests help develop flavour and structure.

Use Plenty of Olive Oil

Olive oil gives focaccia its signature flavour and crispy crust.

Wet Your Hands

Handling wet dough is easier with damp hands rather than adding extra flour.

Bake Until Deep Golden

A properly baked focaccia should have a crisp crust and soft interior.

A Little Bread Wisdom

Focaccia comes from Liguria, in northern Italy, where it has been baked for centuries.

Traditionally enjoyed as street food or alongside meals, it’s one of Italy’s most beloved breads — proof that simple ingredients, treated with patience and care, can create something extraordinary.

Bring Italy to Your Table

This no-knead focaccia proves that great bread doesn’t have to be complicated.

Flour, water, olive oil and time — that’s all it takes to bring the warmth of an Italian bakery into your kitchen.

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