Stir today, focaccia tomorrow!

This is a new recipe along with How to Convert Sourdough Recipes to Wild Yeast Water, both from my busy playroom, ehem kitchen 🙂

One bowl, plus flour, Wild Yeast Water, and salt is all that’s needed — no kneading required, and no re-starting sourdough starter if you have some hanging out in your fridge.

This focaccia recipe is very similar to my Overnight No-Knead Yeast Water Bread and KISS Wild Yeast Water Bread, both which are stirred in one bowl then rise for about 18 hours.

The difference with my focaccia is a little olive oil in the dough and a slightly higher hydration at 80% (total liquid divided by total flour), vs the overnight breads at 75-78% hydration. This makes a soft dough, easy to place in a rimmed baking pan. OR, bake in a preheated Cast Iron Skillet. See video link here on how to do it.

Why do I use Wild Yeast Water instead of active dry yeast or sourdough starter? Of course, all three options make excellent breads. My reasons for using Wild Yeast Water are:

Wild Yeast Water keeps refrigerated at least 6 weeks, ready to bake without any feeding or discard
Wild Yeast Water allows flavor of the grain and other ingredients to star, vs a strong sour flavor
Wild Yeast Water (and sourdough) breads have a longer shelf life than active dry yeast breads
and I simply think yeast water works like magic 🙂

Adding flavor to focaccia is up to you! Keep it plain and simple or top with herbs, tomato, olives, onion, thinly sliced potato, and have fun with placing toppings in pretty designs. A flourish of salt on top is a must to my taste, or use seasoning blends like Za’tar or an everything bagel seasoning. The herbs can also be included in the dough for extra flavor punch.

Serve focaccia warm on the day it’s baked if you can. IF there are leftovers, lightly reheat or split chunks open and toast.

Send pictures of your bakes and questions or comments to reciperose@rosemarymark.com. Keep on baking! And check out my Apple Date Snack Cake for using spent dates from your wild yeast water.

These are my favorite and most important tools for successful bread baking. affiliate links

Click to read more about this high capacity baking scale that I use all day long in my kitchen!

Click to read more about the Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer that’s also a slow-cooker!

Print Recipe

Overnight No-Knead Focaccia

Focaccia bakes in about 30 minutes and is delightful served warm. Plan on 18-20 hours from mixing to baking. ie: Mix at noon today, bake tomorrow at 8am; mix at 10pm, bake tomorrow at 6pm. The first rise is 15-18 hours, second rise is 2 hours. Always keep in mind the warmer the faster it will rise and slower if the dough is cooler.

Prep Time18

Cook Time1 25

Servings: 12

Equipment

1 large mixing bowl, 4-quart size works well
1 plastic scraper, optional but helpful
plastic wrap or shower cap to cover dough bowl
1 9×13 or 9×9-inch baking pan

Ingredients

550 grams AP or bread flour I like using about 100g whole wheat in the total flour
10 grams salt
2-3 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary and/or oregano optional
310 grams water
130 grams yeast water
50 grams olive oil, divided use see note below
ingredients for topping focaccia such as halved cherry tomatoes, red onion slices, olives, herbs optional
salt or seasoning blend of choice for topping optional

Instructions

Place all the flour, salt, and herbs, if using, into a large mixing bowl. Combine the water and yeast water and heat to 80-85F (not higher than 90F); pour over the flour with 25 grams of the olive oil. (If you forget the olive oil like I do sometimes, it can be worked in on the next step). Mix just to moisten the flour using a spoon or bowl scraper. Scrape edge of bowl clean with scraper or flexible spatula.
Let dough rest, covered, 15-30 minutes, then give it a stretch and fold. Use plastic wrap, plate, or a shower cap to cover the bowl while resting.
Alternatively, add the olive oil after mixing the flour and water.
Optional: Do an additional stretch and fold any time in the next hour or so, even after 4-5 hours is fine and can improve the crumb.
Keep the dough covered for the entire rise time. After 9 hours the dough may look like this, and you'll wonder if it's doing anything! It's fine, give it another 6-9 hours. Remember, temperature determines time. 75-78F is an ideal temperature. I find the Brod and Taylor Proof Box extremely helpful for proofing all my doughs because I can adjust the temperature a little lower or higher. Even 80-82F if I want the dough to hurry up.
About 9 hours later (total of 15-18 hours) the dough should be very bubbly and may reach the top of the bowl. It could look pretty wild!
Fully risen dough might also look more like this example with lots of medium or smaller bubbles. As long as the dough is soft and fluffy, and at least doubled in volume it's ready. It's hard to over-proof focaccia, it's pretty forgiving.
TIP: Over-proofed sticky bread dough can sometimes be 'saved' by baking as focaccia in a pan, instead of struggling to shape it into a loaf.
Now it's time to fold down the dough and transfer to either 9×13 or 9×9-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment or use a good non-stick pan drizzled with oil. The dough gets another rest in the pan at about 75F for 2 hours or until very light and bubbly.
When the dough is risen in the pan and looks bubbly and light, drizzle with additional olive oil. The final step is poking the risen dough like you're punching typewriter keys!
Preheat oven to 425F convection or 450 conventional.
Add toppings of choice. Dust with salt or seasoning blend.
Bake uncovered on middle rack of oven for 25-35 minutes for 9×13 pan, about 30-40 minutes for 9×9 pan, until well-browned and center feels springy to the touch. Let cool slightly or completely before serving.

Notes

Note: Adding olive oil after the dough has rested 15-20 minutes, can improve the final dough making it a little drier crumb. Drizzle the oil over the dough then work it in by pinching and folding and then slap and fold until the dough is no longer oily-shiny. Continue with recipe as directed. This is a video on how to add the olive oil after mixing the flour, water, and salt.

How to Make No-Knead Wild Yeast Water Focaccia

Stir today, focaccia tomorrow!