Recipe: No-Knead, Upside-Down “Test” Focaccia

Makes one 9-inch round 600g loaf

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• Because of the long bulk proof, this recipe is best started in the evening

• This recipe can be made using refrigerated but recently-refreshed levain (within the last 7-10 days) or fresh levain that has at least doubled in volume after refreshment

• Under “normal” conditions (when ambient temperatures are between 70 and 80˚F), use 5% levain (15g)

• If ambient temps are above 80˚F, use 2.5% (7g) levain

• If ambient temps are below 70˚F, use 10% (33g) levain

• It’s not necessary to adjust the remainder of the recipe when altering the amount of levain

• If desired, the shaped loaf can be proofed in the fridge as described in step 3.

• Feel free to “top” the focaccia however you like; if placing wet ingredients (sliced onions, for example), coat pan with nonstick spray before adding oil
  
  

Overall Formula

100% high-protein all purpose flour

74% water

5% extra-virgin olive oil

2.2% salt 

5% 100%-hydration levain

Final Formula

235g cool room-temperature (~70˚F) water

17g extra-virgin olive oil

15g 100%-hydration levain 

320g high-protein all purpose flour

7g salt 

To Finish

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon flake salt 

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Place water, oil, and levain in a medium bowl and stir with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until levain is mostly dissolved. Add 1/3 of flour and stir until uniform. Add remainder of flour and salt and stir until uniform and no dry flour remains. Cover and let rest at room temperature until bubbly and about doubled in volume, 12 to 16 hours. 

2. Spread 3 tablespoons oil evenly over bottom of 9-inch nonstick cake pan and sprinkle with rosemary, pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes.. Using wet hands and working your way around the bowl, fold edges of dough gently toward center to form rough ball. Gently pour dough ball from bowl into center of pan. Using wet hands, gently dimple and pull dough to within 1/2 inch of edges of pan. 

3. Cover and let rest until puffy and bubbly, 2 to 4 hours. (Or let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours and bake directly from fridge.)

4. About 30 minutes before baking (once dough has begun to puff), adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

5. Coat top of dough with remaining oil. Using fingertips, very gently dimple dough evenly across its surface. Bake until top is evenly browned, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and invert on wire rack. Brush top with any oil remaining in pan. Let cool 30 minutes before serving.