Foccaccia

This three-ingredient focaccia uses store-bought pizza dough as a shortcut to the real thing. Let it rise for four hours until doubled, roll it out about an inch thick, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake until golden. That’s it.

The long rise is what separates this from just baking a flat pizza crust. Four hours gives the yeast time to develop flavor and create an airy, bubbly interior with a crisp, oily crust on top. Don’t rush it with a warm oven trick. Room temperature, four hours, full stop.

Top it however you want. The recipe suggests sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, onions, or herbs, but focaccia is a blank canvas. Rosemary and flaky sea salt is the classic. Thinly sliced onions caramelize beautifully on top during baking.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the dough out and let it relax if it springs back. Dough that fights you needs 10 minutes of rest before you try again.
• Use a generous amount of olive oil on top. Focaccia should glisten. The oil pools in the dimples and fries the surface as it bakes.
• Press your fingertips into the dough before adding oil and toppings. Those classic dimples aren’t just decorative. They hold olive oil and prevent the bread from puffing up into a dome.
• Pull it when it’s golden on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Variations

• Top with halved cherry tomatoes, fresh rosemary, and flaky Maldon salt for a classic Italian version.
• Scatter olives and caramelized onions over the top before baking.
• Brush with garlic butter instead of olive oil right after it comes out of the oven for garlic bread-style focaccia.