Olive Focaccia

Ingredients

Method

1. 1

   Mix

   Whisk flour and yeast, add water and the dough oil, then the fine salt (a touch less than usual). Mix to a wet, shaggy dough with no dry flour.

   Look for: Sticky and loose, clinging to the bowl.

2. 2

   Bulk ferment with folds

   Do 3 stretch-and-folds over the first 90 minutes, then rest until bubbly and nearly doubled.

   Look for: Domed and blistered; airy and slack.

   ⏱ Set 120 min · Bulk ferment with folds
3. 3

   Pan and proof

   Oil the pan, transfer the dough, coax it to the edges, and proof until pillowy (60–90 min). Meanwhile drain the olives and pat them dry.

   Look for: The dough fills the pan and wobbles; the olives are dry to the touch, not slick with brine.

   ⏱ Set 90 min · Pan and proof
4. 4

   Dimple and press in olives

   Oil your fingers and dimple deeply, drizzle the brine oil into the holes, then push a pitted olive firmly into many of the dimples so they sit seated in the dough.

   Look for: Olives nestle down into the crumb rather than perching on top, so they stay put through the bake.

   Avoid: Use pitted olives, or warn anyone eating that whole olives contain pits.

5. 5

   Bake

   Add the herb sprigs and bake at 230°C/450°F for 20–24 minutes until deep gold.

   Look for: Crust is golden and the olives look glossy and slightly wrinkled.

   ⏱ Set 22 min · Bake
6. 6

   Finish and cool

   Add only a small pinch of flaky salt (the olives bring plenty), then cool on a rack 15–20 minutes.

   Look for: Taste before salting — it may already be salty enough.

   ⏱ Set 20 min · Finish and cool