Thick pan focaccia
Easy Beginner Focaccia (Your First Loaf, Made Forgiving)
A soft, golden, olive-oil-rich focaccia with a tender dimpled top and flaky salt — built for a first-timer who has never touched sticky dough.
- Total
- 3.3 hr
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Hydration
- 72%
- Skill
- beginner
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Mix 500 g bread flour, 360 g water (72% hydration), 10 g salt and 5 g instant yeast into a rough dough, let it rise about 90 minutes, press it into an oiled 23×33 cm pan, proof 45 minutes, dimple with oil and flaky salt, and bake at 220°C/425°F for about 22 minutes.
Why this works
A moderate 72% hydration is wet enough for an open, tender crumb but still slack enough to press into a pan by hand without fighting you. A single rise plus a short pan proof keeps the timeline short and the handling minimal — the two things that trip up beginners most.
The schedule
~23m hands-on of 3.3h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 23m
- Bulk ferment · 1.5h
- Proof · 45m
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 15m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix in one bowl
Stir flour and yeast together, add the water and 15 g oil, then the salt. Mix with a spoon or wet hand just until no dry flour remains — no kneading.
Look for: A rough, sticky, shaggy mass that clings to the bowl. That stickiness is correct; resist adding flour.
- 2
One rise
Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm spot until it looks puffy and about doubled.
Look for: The surface is domed and bubbly and wobbles when you jog the bowl.
- 3
Into the pan
Coat a 23×33 cm pan with oil. Tip the dough in and gently press and stretch it toward the edges with oiled fingers. If it springs back, wait 10 minutes and press again.
Look for: It should relax to roughly fill the pan without tearing; a little unevenness is fine.
- 4
Short proof
Let it rest in the pan until puffy and jiggly.
Look for: Press a fingertip in — the dent fills back slowly rather than springing straight back.
- 5
Dimple, oil, salt
Drizzle the remaining oil over the top and press deep dimples all over with oiled fingertips, right down toward the pan. Scatter flaky salt.
Look for: The dimples hold pools of oil — that is what fries the top and keeps the crumb open.
- 6
Bake
Bake at 220°C/425°F until deep golden and the base is crisp.
Look for: Lift a corner: the underside should be firm and browned, not pale or damp.
- 7
Cool
Lift onto a rack and cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.
Look for: Resting lets the crumb set so it slices cleanly instead of gumming.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Soft and tender with a moderately open, even structure.
- Crust: Crisp oiled base, delicate top.
- Height: A tall, cushiony 3–4 cm.
- Color: Even deep gold with a glossy oiled sheen.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dense, flat result | Under-proofed or dead yeast | Give the rises more time in a warmer spot and check the yeast is in date. |
| Dough tears when pressing | Not enough rest between presses | Stop, wait 10 minutes to relax the gluten, then continue. |
| Pale, soft base | Too little oil in the pan or oven not fully heated | Coat the pan well and preheat fully before baking. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best the day it is baked. Keep wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooled squares in a bag up to 1 month.
Reheating: Warm in a 200°C/400°F oven for 5 minutes to re-crisp; avoid the microwave.
Contains wheat/gluten.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
Some links are affiliate links; as an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
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
- Quarter-sheet pan (23×33 cm) (opens Amazon) ↗ — The right size for a small-batch focaccia without a half-empty large pan.
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 really not need to knead this?
- No. Focaccia is high-hydration and time does the gluten work; just mix until combined.
- Can I use active dry yeast?
- Yes — use the same weight and dissolve it in the lukewarm water for a few minutes before mixing.
Keep baking
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Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/easy-beginner-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.