No Knead Focaccia Bread

Focaccia bread with a sprig of rosemary in the background.

This easy no knead focaccia bread can be put together in less than 10 minutes. It requires no kneading and is a good base for so many different toppings. You can even use it to make focaccia pizza.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Proving time up to3 hrs 30 mins

Total Time4 hrs 5 mins

Course: Mains, Sides

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Diabetic, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: easy recipe, foccacia bread recipe, homemade bread, no knead bread, yeast bread

Servings: loaves - each about 450 grams (15 ounces)

Calories: 1141kcal

Author: Harriet Britto

Cost: $2.52 or $1.26 a loaf (toppings not included)

Equipment

Kitchen scales
Measuring spoons
Large mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
2 rectangle baking tins 25 x 20 cm (10 x 8 inch). Can also use two 23 cm (9 inch) round tins

Ingredients

560 grams (1.2 pounds) bread flour also known as strong flour, bakers flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
10 grams (2 1/2 teaspoons) yeast
420 grams (1 3/4 cups) water plus a little extra if needed
6 teaspoons olive oil for topping, plus a little extra for greasing the tins

Topping Suggestion – Or Toppings of Your Choice

garlic powder
onion powder
dried Italian herbs
sea salt crystals
cherry tomatoes
sliced black olives

Instructions

Make The Dough
Place the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water into a large mixing bowl. Use a large sturdy wooden spoon and mix well making sure there are no dry patches of flour. The dough should be soft and sticky.
Tightly cover the bowl with plastic food wrap, place it in a warm area and allow to double in size – this can take anywhere between 1 ½ - 3 hours.
Prepare the baking tins by coating inside base and sides of the tins with a little olive oil.
Use a scraper, to scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl, divide into two, and place in the prepared tins.
Pour about 1 teaspoon of olive oil over each dough ball, then use your hands to rub it over the dough.
With your fingers still oiled, press into the dough so that it spreads and fills the tin in an even layer.
Allow to rise a second time
Loosely cover the tins with a piece of plastic food wrap. Place in a warm area and allow to double in size – this can take about 30 – 60 minutes.
Note: This bread can also be baked without tins. When you come to step 1 grease two baking trays, and shape the divided dough into balls, place a dough ball on each of the trays, using lightly oiled fingers to press into the dough and spread it out so that it’s about 2 cm (a little less than 1 inch) thick. Then follow the rest of the recipe.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) about 10 – 15 minutes before the end of the second rise.
Add toppings
You can get creative and add any topping you like to this dough or use the one below.
Garlic and herb topping: Dust the top with garlic and onion powder – be generous here otherwise you won’t get the flavours. Then lightly sprinkle with the Italian herbs – be careful not to use too much as these can be overpowering. Then scatter over a little salt, and drizzle over 2- 3 teaspoon of olive oil on each of the loaves.
Bake
Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops turns golden brown, and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the tins for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into slices or wedges.

Nutrition