Focaccia is the airy oven bread from Liguria: a soft, oily dough in a tray, pressed into deep dimples that collect olive oil and brine as it bakes. Crisp and golden outside, tender inside.
PizzaChef's defaults: 75 % hydration, 2.2 % salt and 4 % olive oil in the dough. Hydration usually sits between 60 and 90 %: classic focaccia genovese is firmer at 55 to 65 %, modern, very airy versions go up to 90 %.
For a tray of about 25 × 35 cm (10 × 14 in), PizzaChef works with about 800 g of dough, a focaccia a good 2 cm (almost 1 in) high.
Fermentation takes 8 to 72 hours. A cold ferment overnight brings more flavor and a more open crumb. A dough this soft isn't kneaded for long but strengthened with stretch and folds.
Spread the dough in a well-oiled tray and let it rise until it fills the pan. Then press deep dimples with oiled fingers, pour over a brine of water, olive oil and a little salt, and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake at 230 to 250 °C (450 to 480 °F) for 18 to 25 minutes on a lower rack until the top is golden. Drizzle with a little olive oil after baking.
The mix of water, olive oil and salt collects in the dimples. The water turns to steam in the oven and keeps the crumb moist, the oil and salt make the top crisp and savory.
With plenty of water in the dough, a long ferment and gentle handling: only spread the dough in the tray, don't press it flat, and let it rise well before baking.
A medium to strong wheat flour, such as a Tipo 0 or a high-protein flour. For a long ferment and high hydration, prefer a strong flour.