No Knead Focaccia

Instructions

Pre-Preparation

NOTE
Focaccia is a long process and should be started at least one day before service.

Preparation

To prepare the dough:
1. In a bowl of a large stand mixer, combine flours, salt, sugar, and yeast and stir together until homogenous.
2. Add water and stir with a dough hook until no dry flour remains, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure flour is incorporated.
3. Add first amount of olive oil and stir in with a dough hook to incorporate.
4. Tranfer to another container or keep in mixing bowl, then tightly cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

To shape & first rise:
1. Remove and reserve the plastic wrap from the bowl.
2. Working within the container, use wet hands to fold the dough over itself by lifting and folding edge of dough toward the middle.
3. Turn bowl 45 degrees and fold dough again. Repeat turning the bowl and folding in the dough 4 more times (total of 6 folds).
4. Cover tightly with reserved plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. After dough has rested, repeat this turning and folding process once more.
6. Cover container or bowl tightly with plastic wrap or lid, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days.

Second Rise:
1. Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
2. Pour 25 grams olive oil into half sheet tray and spread over entire inner surface with your hands.
3. Transfer 4.6875 pounds of dough to half sheet pan. Turn to coat in oil and spread gently with your hands to mostly fill the pan (don’t worry if dough doesn’t fully stretch to edges).
4. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough is very soft and puffy and nearly doubled in volume, around 1.5 to 2 hours.

Dimpling, topping, and baking:
1. One hour before baking, preheat oven to 475°F.
2. Using your fingertips, gently press and stretch dough to evenly fill all corners of the pan. Lift up one edge of the dough to let air bubbles underneath escape and repeat, moving around the dough until there are no large air bubbles left underneath and the dough is evenly spread around the pan.
3. Just before baking, using fingertips, press on surface of dough to create small dimples. Drizzle remaining 20 grams olive oil over top of dough.
4. Transfer pan to oven and bake, rotating pan halfway through baking, until top is golden brown and bottom is golden brown and crisp when you lift it with a thin spatula, around 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Let focaccia cool in pan for 5 minutes, then use a thin spatula to transfer focaccia to wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
6. Spoon or brush any olive oil left in the pan over the focaccia, and let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
7. Cut focaccia 6x4 to make 24 even portions. Serve warm or at room temperature.
8. Once cooled slightly and portioned, transfer the pieces into a hotel pan for service.

Serving

Holding Instructions:
For serving warm, store the pieces in a hotel pan in the warmer, covered.
For room temperature, store in a hotel pan, slightly covered (if focaccia is not fully cooled). Once fully cooled, the container can be covered with a lid.