I wouldn’t usually bake with yeast in the summer—heat makes dough temperamental and life complicated—but this focaccia is so simple and low-maintenance that I’ll happily make it all season. (Also: is anyone else alarmed by this May-in-Mumbai heat in March?)
This focaccia is one of the best things I’ve baked—really. It’s soft, fluffy and made from just a few main ingredients. It was so easy that I half expected a catch, but one bite confirmed I’ll be making this again and again.
I first spotted the recipe on Dessert For Two and adapted the toppings to suit my taste. I love olive focaccia, so I added caramelised onions too; the result needs no accompaniment. A generous amount of olive oil gives the bread its rich flavour. It stays tender, reheats beautifully, and contains no eggs or dairy.
The dough is soft, pliable and barely sticky, and it rises quickly—likely helped by the warm weather. It’s a pleasure to work with. A stand mixer speeds things up, but you can make this by hand without difficulty; just allow a few extra minutes of kneading.
We finished the whole batch without thinking. It’s fantastic with eggs for a weekend breakfast. Toppings are flexible: a simple sprinkle of herbs and coarse salt is lovely, or load it with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and caramelised onions like I did. Do it—you won’t regret it.
Caramelised Onion and Olive Focaccia
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water (190 ml)
- 1 and 1/4 tsps active dry yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (300 gms)
- 1 tsp salt*
- 1/2 cup olive oil (125 ml)
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup pitted, sliced olives (35 gms, drained very well if using jarred olives)
- Extra olive oil for frying
Instructions
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Heat the water until it feels warm to the touch—not hot—so you don’t kill the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water, stir, cover and leave for 10–15 minutes until frothy.
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In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook—or a regular mixing bowl if working by hand—combine the flour, salt and 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the yeast mixture and knead for about 5 minutes in the mixer until smooth and just slightly sticky; you may need an extra teaspoon of water to bring the dough together. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. If kneading by hand, work the dough for about 10 minutes in total.
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Lightly oil the mixing bowl, place the dough back inside, cover with clingfilm and let it rise at room temperature for about an hour or until doubled in size.
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While the dough rises, fry the sliced onion in a little olive oil until golden—watch carefully so they don’t over-brown, as they’ll finish browning in the oven. Set aside to cool.
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Pour half of the remaining olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) into an 8″ square pan and spread it around.
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Punch down the risen dough to release air. Place it in the oiled pan and, using your fingertips, spread it gently to the corners without stretching it so thin that it tears. Drizzle the remaining olive oil evenly on top, cover with clingfilm and let it rise again until doubled, about an hour.
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Preheat the oven to 220°C. Uncover the pan, scatter the caramelised onions and olives over the dough, and bake for about 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. Flip the focaccia out onto a cooling rack immediately after baking to prevent sogginess; using a flat metal spatula can help slide it out cleanly.
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Let the focaccia cool completely before slicing into 9 pieces. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for a day; after that, keep it in the fridge for up to a week (especially in warm weather) and reheat as needed. Enjoy!
Notes
*Use a good-quality olive oil—it’s the star ingredient and provides most of the flavour.
*Prep time does not include rising time.
*Original recipe adapted from Dessert For Two.