Foccacia (CRUMBSHOT)

This was my first time baking focaccia (foh-catch-ah) ever. I came across Pepper.ph’s recipe fortuitously and their easy “no-knead” approach convinced me to give this a try. I followed the recipe and was a bit intimidated by the dough’s high hydration; it was incredibly sticky. I let the dough rise for 18 hours to develop more flavor before adding in the olive oil. The prescribed baking time was 40-45 minutes at 450 Fahrenheit, but I decided to pull mine out at the 35-minute mark as the edges were starting to burn. I’m glad I did. I didn’t add any toppings as I felt like adding herbs and spices would waste all the effort that went into developing the dough’s natural flavors.

My rating: 9/10. I am definitely making this again. My girlfriend and family loved it. The crust was immaculate (check out the crumb shot video) and the inside was perfectly chewy. Flavor-wise, the olive oil definitely shined through while still preserving the “yeastiness” that typically comes with aged dough. This will make an excellent dipping bread. Or sandwich bread for that matter. I would, however, cut down the oil a bit the next time around. It was a tad too greasy and the large amount (3/4 cup) probably contributed to the rapid browning. This is way better than any store-bought focaccia I’ve ever had.

Recipe available at https://pepper.ph/focaccia-recipe/