About 2 hours

Take the covered dough out of the fridge about 2 hours before baking. Keep it covered as it warms and softens.

Ready when: Soft dough that stretches and holds fingertip dimples.

Until heated

Heat the oven to 260°C and use the rimmed baking sheet described below.

Ready when: Use an oven-safe rimmed sheet.

A few minutes, plus rests if needed

Lightly oil only the area of the pan that the dough will cover. Flour both sides of the dough, flatten it to about half-sheet size, then gently lift and stretch around the edges before moving it onto the sheet.

Ready when: Even dough thickness; dimples remain.

Before baking

Pour the measured olive oil over the dough and spread it with both hands while gently pushing the dough outward. Press your fingertips down evenly across the top; if the dough resists stretching, rest it for 10 minutes and try again.

Ready when: Even, moderate topping coverage.

12–15 minutes as a starting range

Bake until the top is golden, the bottom is firm and the middle is fully cooked. If you are unsure, cut a small opening at the edge and check for raw dough.

Ready when: No wet raw dough; golden, firm bottom.

While hot or warm

Add salt to taste, cut the focaccia into strips and serve it.

Ready when: Set middle and firm bottom.

About 2 hours

Take the covered dough out of the fridge about 2 hours before baking. Keep it covered as it warms and softens.

Ready when: Soft dough that stretches and holds fingertip dimples.

About 25 minutes total

Cook the onion, butter and some salt over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Lower the heat and keep stirring and scraping up the browned bits until the onion is soft and evenly brown, then set aside.

Ready when: Soft brown onion; no scorched pieces.

Until heated

Heat the oven to 260°C and use the rimmed baking sheet described below.

Ready when: Use an oven-safe rimmed sheet.

A few minutes, plus rests if needed

Flour both sides of the dough, press it flat with your fist and fingers, then stretch it until medium-thin. Use the 9.9 mL olive oil to lightly coat the pan and one side of the dough; put that side down and press dents into the top with your fingertips.

Ready when: Even dough thickness; dimples remain.

Before baking

Spread the browned onions, olives, anchovies and chopped red chiles over the dough without piling them too thickly.

Ready when: Even, moderate topping coverage.

12–15 minutes as a starting range

Bake until the top is golden, the bottom is firm and the middle is fully cooked. If you are unsure, cut a small opening at the edge and check for raw dough.

Ready when: No wet raw dough; golden, firm bottom.

While hot or warm

Slice the focaccia into strips and serve it.

Ready when: Set middle and firm bottom.

About 2 hours

Take the covered dough out of the fridge about 2 hours before baking. Keep it covered as it warms and softens.

Ready when: Soft dough that stretches and holds fingertip dimples.

Until heated

Heat the oven to 260°C and use the rimmed baking sheet described below.

Ready when: Use an oven-safe rimmed sheet.

A few minutes, plus rests if needed

Keep the baking sheet unoiled. Flour both sides of the dough, flatten it and stretch it into a loose oblong, then move it to the sheet and adjust the shape with floured hands. Gently press your fingertips into the top to make shallow dents.

Ready when: Even dough thickness, without tears; gentle dimples remain.

Before baking

Toss the zucchini with 14.8 mL oil and a little salt. Spread the other 14.8 mL oil over the dough, arrange the zucchini slices so they overlap and add black pepper.

Ready when: Even, moderate topping coverage.

12–15 minutes as a starting range

Bake until the top is golden, the bottom is firm and the middle is fully cooked. If you are unsure, cut a small opening at the edge and check for raw dough.

Ready when: No wet raw dough; golden, firm bottom.

While hot or warm

Cut the focaccia into strips and offer chile flakes if you like.

Ready when: Set middle and firm bottom.

Recipe proof + at least 1 hour

After the bread dough finishes its first rise, divide and shape it into rounds as directed in that bread recipe. Give it its usual final rise plus at least 1 extra hour to relax, or refrigerate the shaped pieces for up to 2 days.

Ready when: Relaxed, gassy dough that can spread without tearing.

A few minutes

Heat the oven to 260°C. Flour both sides of the dough, press out the gas and stretch it to the pan’s shape; lightly oil only the area beneath it. Press dents into the dough with your fingertips.

Ready when: Even thickness and lasting dimples.

Bake to doneness

Lightly coat the top with olive oil and salt, then bake until golden above and below and cooked through in the middle. For a sheet pan, start checking after 12–15 minutes; thicker dough may need longer.

Ready when: Firm bottom and no raw layer in the centre.

Immediately or bake up to 1 hour ahead

Add a little more oil if you like, then cut and serve hot or at room temperature.

Ready when: A set crumb, with a crisp surface.

15 min

Stir together all the dough ingredients until no dry flour remains, then cover the bowl.

Ready when: No dry flour

45 min

Pull an edge of the dough up and fold it into the middle 8–12 times, moving around the bowl, then turn the dough over. Do this again three times, leaving 15 minutes between sets.

Ready when: Strengthening

1 h

Keep the bowl covered at 21–24°C until the dough has nearly doubled.

Ready when: Nearly doubled

60–90 min

Spray the pan with oil, line it with baking paper that overhangs so you can lift the bread out, then add 13 g oil. Put in the dough, turn it over to coat both sides and cover it. Heat the oven to 245°C near the end of this rise.

Ready when: Jiggly, near rim

—

Press your fingertips right down to the bottom of the pan, making dents about 4 cm apart. Add the remaining oil and the finishing salt.

Ready when: Bubbly

15–18 min

Bake the focaccia on the lower rack at 245°C until the raised parts are brown.

Ready when: Brown peaks

5–7 min

Lift the bread out of the pan and take off the baking paper. Put it back directly on the oven rack with the heat switched off for 5–7 minutes, then let it cool.

Ready when: Crisp sides

6–24 h

Mix the flour, water and yeast listed for the sponge, then cover it. This starter mixture is ready when it has risen and is just beginning to sink.

Ready when: Risen, beginning to fall

15 min + 30 min rest

Mix the sponge with the dough flour, water and yeast, keeping the dough salt aside, then let it rest. Add that salt and mix for one minute.

Ready when: Combined

30 min between; final 30–60 min

Lift the dough’s edges and fold them into the middle eight times, then let it rest. Do two more sets, leaving 30 minutes between sets, then give it a final 30–60 minute rest.

Ready when: Nearly doubled

1 h

Heat the oven and stone to 260°C for 1 hour. Divide the pan oil and pan salt between the two pans.

Ready when: Hot

5 min + 10 min

Divide the dough in half, shape each piece into a ball, put one in each pan and turn to coat in the oil. Rest for 5 minutes, stretch it outward, then let it rest for 10 minutes. Prick each piece with a fork 25–30 times and add the rosemary.

Ready when: Slightly bubbly

25–30 min

Put the pans on the hot stone and lower the oven to 230°C. Turn the pans halfway through baking so they brown evenly.

Ready when: Golden

30 min

Leave the bread in the pans for five minutes, then take it out. Brush it with the oil left in the pans and let it cool.

Ready when: Set

3–4 min + 10 min rest

Use a stand mixer with its flat paddle on low speed to mix the flour, yeast, sugar and water for 3–4 minutes. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.

Ready when: No dry flour

8 min

Add the dough salt and mix on low for 30 seconds, then on medium-high for 8 minutes. The dough will look shiny and loose, more like thick batter.

Ready when: Shiny, batter-like

2–2½ h

Coat a bowl with the bowl oil, add the dough, turn it over to coat and cover. Let it rise until nearly tripled, and heat the oven to 230°C.

Ready when: Bubbly, nearly tripled

Rest 10 min if retracting

Spray the pan and add the pan oil, then move in the dough and stretch it into the corners. If it pulls back, let it rest for 10 minutes before trying again.

Ready when: Reaches corners

10 min

Rest the dough for 10 minutes, then prick it with a fork twenty times. Add the rosemary and top salt.

Ready when: Aerated

20–25 min

Put the pan on the middle rack and bake at 230°C until golden.

Ready when: Golden

15 min

Leave the focaccia in the pan to cool for 15 minutes, then cut it into pieces.

Ready when: Set

5 min

Whisk the yeast and sugar with 240 mL of the water and leave for 5 minutes.

5 min

Gradually add the rest of the water with the dough oil, salt and flour. Mix for 2 minutes, then knead by folding and pressing until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.

Ready when: Soft; tacky.

2–3 h

Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave until doubled in size.

Ready when: Doubled.

Chill covered 1–24 h

Coat the pan with 30 mL oil. Press the air out of the dough, stretch it into the pan, then cover and chill for 1–24 hours; 12 hours is preferred.

Ready when: 12 h preferred.

Preheat 232°C, 10–15 min

Take the dough out of the fridge, keep it covered and heat the oven to 232°C for 10–15 minutes. Press dents into the dough with your fingertips, mix the garlic and herbs with the remaining oil, spread that over the top and add salt and pepper to taste.

20–23 min

Bake until lightly browned, then cut the focaccia into slices.

Ready when: Lightly browned.

1–1½ h warm

Stir the flour, salt, yeast and water into a loose, sticky dough. Cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled.

Ready when: Doubled.

Rest 20 min

Coat the pan with 44 mL oil. Use forks to press the air out of the dough, move it into the pan and turn it over to coat both sides, then rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat 218°C

Pour over the remaining oil, then press your fingertips into the dough and stretch it to the pan’s edges. Sprinkle with flaky salt and heat the oven to 218°C.

20–25 min

Bake until puffed and golden with a crisp bottom, then move the focaccia to a rack and let it cool completely.

Ready when: Puffed; golden, crisp underside.

6–7 min

Use a stand mixer with its flat paddle to mix the dough ingredients slowly for 4 minutes, then at medium-low speed for 2–3 minutes. Stop when the dough makes a smooth ball.

Ready when: Smooth ball

90 min

Move the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and leave at 24°C for 90 minutes. Every 30 minutes, lift each of its four sides and fold it into the middle.

Ready when: Elastic

30 min covered

Line the 43.8 × 31.1 cm tray and add the pan oil. Stretch the dough across it, then cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Ready when: Relaxed

30 min

Press your fingertips into the dough without tearing it, then cover for another 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 230°C during this rise.

Ready when: Level with rim

25 min

Add the topping oil, vegetables and salt. Bake at 230°C for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 220°C and bake for about 10 minutes more.

Ready when: Brown; centre 96°C

10 min

Leave the focaccia in the pan for 10 minutes, then move it to a rack. Add the optional pepper if you like.

Mix the dough water, yeast and sugar, then add 9.9 mL rosemary, half the flour and the dough salt. Add the dough oil, then gradually add just enough of the remaining flour to make a rough, slightly sticky dough.

Ready when: Shaggy; slightly sticky

8–10 h

Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave at room temperature until doubled.

Ready when: Doubled

Oil the half-sheet tray and stretch the dough across it. If it resists, rest it for 10 minutes, then press deep dents all over with your fingertips.

45 min

Dissolve the brine salt in the separate brine water, pour it over the dough and cover. This salt-water topping stays separate from the dough water.

Ready when: Puffy

25–30 min

Heat a pizza stone or an upside-down heavy tray in the oven to 230°C. Add the remaining rosemary and finishing salt to the dough, then bake its tray on the hot stone or heavy tray.

Ready when: Golden

Leave the focaccia until warm before serving.