2-3 Day Focaccia

79% hydration, stretch and folds, and 2-3 cold days doing the work. Golden, dimpled, olive-oil-fried focaccia from a 10x14 pan.

Time: 2-3 days | Yield: 1 10x14 pan focaccia | Difficulty: Intermediate | Serves: 8 | Published: 2026-10-26

Focaccia is the most forgiving bread in the high-hydration family, and this one leans all the way into that: no kneading, just a rubber spatula, wet-handed stretch and folds, and 2-3 days in the fridge where the flavor builds itself.

The pan work is where focaccia is won. Several tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom and sides, because the oil is not greasing the pan, it is frying the crust. The dough gets pressed out in stages, rested, risen 3-4 hours in the pan, then firmly dimpled 3/4 of the way down so the oil pools in the craters.

Hot oven, flaky sea salt, golden brown top in 12-15 minutes. Eat it alone, or slice it through the middle and build my Prosciutto Focaccia Sandwich, which is the reason this recipe exists.

Ingredients

400 g Bread Flour
315 g water
10 g salt
4 g sugar
12 g olive oil
1.2 g instant yeast

Directions

MAKING THE DOUGH
In a large bowl, add all of your dry ingredients and mix.
Next, add your water and oil and mix with a rubber spatula for 1 - 2 minutes. Pressing out any clumps.
Scrape down any flour on the sides of the bowl.
Cover and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, wet your hands and perform a series of stretch and folds. Pulling the corner from one side and folding to the opposite side. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat a total of four stretches.
You'll know it's right: Wet hands are the whole trick, the dough releases from wet fingers instead of climbing them. Four pulls per set, one from each side.
Cover, rest for 30 minutes, repeat 2-3 more times.
After your final stretch and fold, put in the fridge for 2-3 days.
MAKING THE FOCACCIA
5-6 hours before you want to make the bread, pull the dough out of the fridge.
Heavily oil a 10x14ish pan on the bottom and sides. Several tablespoons.
Dump the dough in the pan, coat the bottom, and flip the dough to the other side.
The dough is going to be stiff, but use your fingers to press out as much as possible. Again, it won't spread much but you are getting it started.
You'll know it's right: Stiff and uncooperative out of the fridge is correct. Press what you can and let the hour rest do the spreading for you.
Cover and rest for an hour at room temperature.
After an hour, oil your hands and press the dough out to every edge. Use your fingers to firmly dimple and try to spread the dough out as even as possible.
You'll know it's right: Oiled fingers, firm dimples, and chase the dough into the corners. Even thickness now is even bake later.
Cover and let rest for 3-4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees for an hour.
When the dough has risen, drizzle another tablespoon or two of olive oil on top and start dimpling the dough. Pressing your fingers to about 3/4ths of the way to the pan.
You'll know it's right: Dimple 3/4 of the way to the pan, deep enough to hold the oil pools, not so deep you punch through.
Sprinkle flakey sea salt.
Put in the oven and I tend to reduce the temperature to 450 degrees.
Bake until golden brown on top. Usually 12-15 minutes.
You'll know it's right: Golden brown on top, usually 12-15 minutes. The top color is the doneness signal, the oiled pan handles the bottom.

Troubleshooting

Dough stuck to my hands during the folds

Dry hands on 79% hydration dough. Wet your hands before every set of folds. Water is the release agent, flour just makes paste.

Focaccia came out dense

Rushed the pan rise. The 3-4 hour covered rest in the pan is where the crumb opens up. Cold kitchens can need even longer, go by puff, not clock.

Pale, soft bottom

Not enough oil in the pan. Several tablespoons, bottom AND sides. The bottom crust is shallow-fried in olive oil, that is the style.

Dimples disappeared in the oven

Too shallow, too gentle. Press 3/4 of the way to the pan with confident fingers. The craters hold oil and keep the top from doming.

Top browned before the middle baked

Oven stayed at 500 the whole bake. Load at 500, then drop to 450 like the recipe says. The reduction finishes the inside while the top goes golden instead of dark.

Nutrition (1/8 of the pan): 250 calories, 7g protein, 40g carbs, 7g fat.