How to Make Focaccia 

 

Focaccia 

For the biga 

200g organic strong white flour (Shipton Mill No.4) 

200ml cold water 

1g fresh yeast 

For the dough 

300g organic strong white flour (Shipton Mill No.4) 

200g warm water 

3.8g fresh yeast 

15g salt 

30ml extra virgin olive oil 

For the top and tin lining 

Rosemary sprigs, soaked in oil 

Olive oil 

Sea salt 

Equipment required 

35 x 25cm high-sided roasting tin 

Baking parchment  

Method

Day 1 

1. For the biga, place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine briefly. Leave covered with cling film for 24 hours at an ambient temperature.

Day 2 

1. Use the water to release the biga from the container. In a large bowl mix together the flour, yeast, biga and water. This only needs to be briefly and not fully combined. Leave in a bowl, covered with cling film for 1 hour to autolyse.
2. Add the salt and mix again using a mixing and stretching technique with your hand, for a further 4 minutes. Towards the end, add the oil and mix again. Leave to prove for 1-2 hours.
3. During the initial proving time, complete 1 set of folds at 60 minutes.
4. After 2 hours proving the bread can be placed into a roasting tin lined with parchment and oil on the base. Don’t push it too far into the corners at this stage. Cover with oiled cling film.
5. After about 50 minutes, using generously oiled hands push the dough into the corners of the tin. Cover with cling film and leave to prove for a further 40 minutes until starting to become bubbly and wobbly. Preheat the oven to 230°C.
6. Drizzle more oil over the bread and sprinkle with salt and sprigs of rosemary.
7. Turn the oven down to 220°C and place the bread into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked on the base. 

Visit the Leiths Education channel on YouTube for the full step-by-step instructions.