Crust & Crumb Academy
Crust & Crumb Academy · Flatbreads
Ligurian-Style Focaccia
Crust & Crumb Academy Seal
Prep Time
30 minutes
🕐
Total Time
4 hours
💧
Hydration
80%
🍞
Yield
One 9x13-inch focaccia
🌡
Bake Temp
450°F

Golden, crispy perfection with an impossibly soft interior – featuring the traditional brine technique that makes Ligurian focaccia legendary.

Ingredients

GramsVolumeIngredientBaker's %
Dough
500g4 cups{{bread-flour}}100%
400g1⅔ cupsWarm water (100°F / 38°C)80%
10g2 tspFine sea salt2%
7g2¼ tsp{{instant-yeast}}1%
20g1 TbspHoney or barley malt syrup4%
30g2 TbspExtra-virgin olive oil6%
Brine
60g¼ cupWarm water
3g½ tspFine sea salt
For Pan & Topping
60g4 TbspExtra-virgin olive oil, divided
6g2 TbspFresh rosemary
3g½ tspFlaky sea salt (Maldon recommended)

Process

1
Bloom the yeast
In a large bowl, combine warm water, honey, and instant-yeast. Let sit 5 minutes until slightly foamy.
2
Add dry ingredients
Add bread-flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix with a spatula or your hands until no dry flour remains. The dough will be very wet and shaggy.
3
Rest
Cover and rest 15 minutes. This short rest begins gluten development.
4
Coil fold set 1
With wet hands, lift the dough from the center, letting the sides fold under. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat. Do this until you've gone around the bowl. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
5
Coil fold set 2
Repeat the coil-fold process. The dough should feel smoother and more elastic. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
6
Coil fold set 3
Repeat the coil-fold process. The dough is transforming from shaggy to smooth. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
7
Coil fold set 4
Final coil-fold set. The dough should now be smooth, elastic, and hold its shape better.
8
Let it rise
After the final fold, cover and let rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours until doubled. The dough should be puffy and jiggly.
9
Prepare the pan
Pour 2 Tbsp olive oil into a 9x13-inch metal pan. Tip the pan to coat the bottom evenly.
10
Shape the dough
Gently scrape the dough into the oiled pan. Using oiled hands, press and stretch the dough toward the corners. If it springs back, let it rest 10 minutes and try again. Don't force it.
11
Final proof
Drizzle another 1 Tbsp oil over the dough. Cover loosely and let rise 45-60 minutes until puffy and nearly filling the pan. The dough should jiggle when you shake the pan.
12
Preheat
30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the lower third.
13
Dimple the dough
Oil your fingertips generously. Press deep dimples into the dough, all the way to the bottom of the pan. Those dimples hold oil, brine, and toppings – shallow dimples are missed opportunities.
14
Apply the brine
Stir together the warm water and salt until dissolved. Pour the brine evenly over the dimpled dough, letting it pool in the indentations. This creates the impossibly crispy crust.
15
Add toppings
Drizzle with remaining olive oil (about 1 Tbsp). Scatter fresh rosemary and flaky sea salt over the top.
16
Oil the pan
Pour olive oil into a 9x13-inch metal pan. Tilt to coat evenly.
17
Stretch into pan
Scrape dough into pan, stretch gently toward corners with oiled hands.
18
Rest and re-stretch
Rest and re-stretch as needed until dough fills the pan.
19
Cover and proof
Cover and proof until puffy and jiggly.
20
Oil the skillet
Oil a 12-inch cast iron skillet generously.
21
Stretch to edges
Scrape dough into skillet, stretch to edges.
22
Proof and bake
Proof and bake as directed, adding 2-3 minutes bake time for thicker center.
23
Bake
Place the pan on the lower rack. Bake 25-30 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown and the edges are crispy and pulling away from the pan.
24
Check the bottom
Carefully lift a corner with a spatula. The bottom should be golden and crispy. If not, bake 3-5 more minutes.
25
Cool
Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack. This prevents the bottom from getting soggy.

Baker's Percentages

Bread flour
100%
Warm water (100°F / 38°C)
80%
Fine sea salt
2%
Instant yeast
1%
Honey or barley malt syrup
4%
Extra-virgin olive oil
6%
📐 Learn How Baker's % Works →
Henry's Tip

Don't worry about the sticky mess – high-hydration doughs are supposed to look like this!

Classroom Lessons

Check out the Goldie and DoughBed from SourHouse - Use code HBK23