Light and Airy Focaccia

Makes one 9 by 13-inch Focaccia

2 1/2 cups 13 2/4 oz / 390 g bread flour
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 cups 12 oz / 340 g water, room temperature
6 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tsp table salt
3/4 - 1 1/2 tsp flake sea salt

Whisk flour, sugar, and yeast together in a large bowl.

Add water and 2 tablespoons oil and stir until no dry flour remains, about 1 minute.

Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle table salt over the dough.

Mix with your wet hand until the salt is fully incorporated.

With your wet hand, grasp edge of dough, stretch upward and fold toward the opposite side of the bowl.

Turn bowl 90 degrees and stretch and fold again.

Continue to turn, stretch, and fold until dough is slightly tighter and smoother, about 30 times, re-wetting your hand if dough sticks.

Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.

Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray.

Place a 12 by 16-inch sheet of parchment over pan.

Using both hands, press parchment down and into corners.

Smooth parchment so it is flush with the pan bottom and sides (it doesn't have to be perfectly smooth or go all the way up the sides).

Spread 3 tablespoons oil over the bottom of the pan.

Lightly dampen counter and your hands with water.

Transfer dough to counter and gently press and stretch into a 10 by 15-inch rectangle (dough will be sticky).

Fold into thirds like a business letter to create a 5 by 10-inch rectangle (use a bench scraper, if necessary, to release dough from counter).

Invert dough into a prepared pan.

Swirl to coat with oil.

Turn over and press to expel large air pockets.

Cover and let sit until dough is puffy and jiggly and has flowed toward corners of pan, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

About 20 minutes before the dough has finished resting, adjust the oven rack to the middle and heat to 475°F.

Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon oil over top of the dough.

Dimple dough all over with your wet fingertips, pressing all the way to the bottom of the pan, pushing dough into the corners, and breaking up any bubbles larger than 1 inch.

Sprinkle with flake salt.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Rotate the pan.

Continue to bake until deeply browned, 6 to 10 minutes.

Using a spatula, transfer the focaccia to a wire rack.

Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Geary, Andrea. "Bread That's Light as Air." Cooks Illustrated. March & April 2026: 22-23.