Another version of one of my favorite breads but this one is interactive: you get to pull off a chunk, rather than wait for someone to grab a knife and cut it for you. Same toasty, yeasty, chewy goodness, but now with an easier-to-access option.
This has got to be the easiest homemade bread ever. If you’ve never made a yeasted bread before, I guarantee you’ll be proud of yourself. As with any yeast dough, you have a lot of flexibility with timing here. You can let the dough sit in the fridge for a day or two, or you can mix it the same day you want to bake it. The exact time it takes to double will depend on the ambient temperature in the room, so leave extra time, and keep a close eye on it.
The list of steps may seem long but they really just say mix the ingredients, let sit. Scoop onto a pan, let sit. Bake. Enjoy. See, not so complicated!
You can make double this and make it in a half sheet baking pan.
Pull-apart Focaccia
Yield: 8-10 servings, one 9 x 13 tray
Ingredients
1 ½ teaspoons instant dry yeast
2 ½ cups/ 562 g lukewarm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons kosher salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky salt, for sprinkling
Directions
Pour the water into a medium bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over top and stir to combine and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, stir the flour and the kosher salt into the yeast and water mixture, combining thoroughly. Drizzle about a tablespoon of oil around the edges of the bowl, pick up the mass of dough so you can oil underneath, and turn it over a few times to coat. Drizzle another tablespoon of oil on top, seal tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and as many as 48. If you want to bake it the same day, let the dough rise on the counter for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Dampen your hands, and make 4 folds, scooping from underneath and turning the dough over onto itself, turning the bowl a quarter turn each time. This will simultaneously deflate the dough and create some structure.
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil in a 9 by 13-inch metal baking pan and tilt the pan to spread it out evenly. Using a bench scraper or a metal spoon, scoop out a blob of dough, drop it in the olive oil on the pan, turning to coat, and then move it to the side. Continue scooping, rolling in the oil and dropping on various parts of the pan until you have a mostly covered pan. Try to keep the dough blobs as near to the same size as you can, but no need to get too worked up about it. Any gaps will close up as the dough rises.
Cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap and let rise in a not-too-cold place, until doubled, about 1½ to 2 ½ hours. It could take longer if the room is very cold. If you’re working with dough that hasn’t been refrigerated, this rise will take 1 to 1 ½ hours.
When ready to bake, heat the oven to 450℉ with an oven rack in the center. If you have a baking stone, place it on the rack. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flaky salt and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until deep golden brown on top. As soon as the pan is cool enough to handle, use a spatula to slide out onto a cooling rack so the bottom doesn’t get soggy.
Enjoy!
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