Round skillet-baked focaccia
Cast-Iron Skillet Focaccia (Extra-Crisp Fried Base)
A golden round focaccia with a deeply crisp, almost fried base and a soft, olive-oil-rich crumb — baked in a preheated cast-iron skillet that sizzles the bottom the moment the dough goes in.
- Total
- 3.3 hr
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Hydration
- 75%
- Skill
- beginner
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Make a 75% hydration dough (300 g flour, 225 g water, 6 g salt, 4 g yeast), rise and pan it in a 26 cm cast-iron skillet holding a good layer of olive oil, proof, dimple, and bake at 230°C/450°F for about 25 minutes; the hot, oiled iron fries the base crisp.
Why this works
Cast iron stores and radiates intense, steady heat, so an oiled skillet effectively shallow-fries the dough on contact for a crust far crisper than a thin metal pan gives. A round scaled to about 1.06 g of dough per cm² keeps it thick and soft above that fried base.
The schedule
~23m hands-on of 3.2h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 23m
- Bulk ferment · 1.5h
- Proof · 45m
- Bake · 25m
- Cool · 10m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix
Combine flour and yeast, add water and 10 g oil, then salt. Mix to a sticky, shaggy dough.
Look for: Tacky and soft; scaled small but the same wet feel as a full batch.
- 2
Bulk ferment
Cover and let rise in a warm spot until puffy and about doubled.
Look for: Domed and bubbly, wobbling when the bowl is jogged.
- 3
Oil the skillet and pan the dough
Pour the 20 g oil into a 26 cm cast-iron skillet and swirl to coat the base and sides. Tip the dough in and gently press it toward the edges.
Look for: The dough sits in a visible film of oil — that pool is what fries the base crisp.
- 4
Proof
Let the dough proof in the skillet until puffy and relaxed to the rim.
Look for: A fingertip dent fills back slowly; the round has spread to the edges.
- 5
Dimple and bake
Dimple deeply, tuck in rosemary, scatter flaky salt, and bake at 230°C/450°F until deep gold with a crisp base. For an even crisper bottom, set the skillet on the oven floor or a preheated stone for the first 8 minutes.
Look for: You may hear the base sizzle; lift an edge to check for a dark, crackly, fried underside.
Avoid: The skillet handle is oven-hot — always use a thick cloth or mitt.
- 6
Turn out and cool
Loosen the edge with a spatula and slide or invert the round onto a rack so the base stays crisp; cool about 10 minutes.
Look for: Leaving it in the pan traps steam and softens the base — get it onto a rack.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Soft and open above a dense, crisp base.
- Crust: Deeply crisp, shallow-fried bottom; tender oiled top.
- Height: A thick round, about 3–4 cm at the center.
- Color: Dark gold top; deeply browned, fried base.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Base greasy but not crisp | Skillet or oven not hot enough | Preheat the oven fully; finish the first minutes on the oven floor or a hot stone. |
| Stuck to the skillet | Too little oil or a poorly seasoned pan | Use a generous oil layer and a well-seasoned skillet; loosen the edge while warm. |
| Soggy bottom after cooling | Left to cool in the pan | Turn it out onto a rack straight after baking. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best the day it is baked; wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooled wedges up to 1 month.
Reheating: Re-crisp in the skillet or a 200°C/400°F oven 5 minutes.
Contains wheat/gluten.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
- Flaky finishing salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — For the crunchy finish.
Required pan & tools
- Cast-iron skillet (25–30 cm) (opens Amazon) ↗ — Holds heat for an exceptionally crisp fried base on a smaller round focaccia.
Fresh — buy local
- Fresh herbs (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fresh is best; a windowsill pot works well.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- Do I need to preheat the skillet?
- It is not required — the dough proofs in the cold oiled skillet — but a brief stint on the oven floor or a hot stone at the start gives the crispest base.
- Can I use a nonstick or carbon-steel pan instead?
- Carbon steel behaves similarly. Nonstick works but browns the base less; cast iron gives the crispest, most fried result.
Keep baking
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Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/cast-iron-skillet-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.