My Weekly Focaccia Recipe (Cold Fermented + Italian Brine)

Freshly baked golden focaccia cooling on a wire rack, showcasing its fluffy texture and light sprinkle of sea salt. Perfectly capturing the essence of homemade bread.

I didn’t start making focaccia because I wanted to get into bread baking. I started making it because I missed Italy.

When I was there, focaccia wasn’t something you planned—it was just part of the rhythm of the day. Something you grabbed from a bakery, tore into with your hands, and ate standing outside with a spritz or a glass of wine.

When I got home, this became my way of bringing a little of that feeling back into my kitchen.

It’s simple, forgiving, and honestly one of the most satisfying things you can make at home.

The long cold ferment builds flavor, and the saltwater brine creates that golden, crisp top with those signature pockets of olive oil.

This is the focaccia I make almost every week.

In a large bowl, combine 600 g warm water with 7 g honey, stirring to dissolve. Sprinkle in 7 g instant yeast and let sit for about 10 minutes, until slightly foamy.

Add 750 g all-purpose flour and 20 g Diamond Crystal kosher salt, followed by 40 g olive oil. Mix until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. It will look rough, maybe a little too wet, or even like you messed it up—that’s exactly what you want. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Using wet or lightly oiled hands, perform a series of stretch-and-folds: lift one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3–4 times. Do this once after the initial rise, then repeat twice more at 30-minute intervals.

After the final fold, cover and transfer the dough to the refrigerator for about 20 hours.

Generously oil a 9 × 13-inch pan. Remove the dough from the fridge and gently transfer it to the pan. Let it rest for 30–45 minutes, then begin easing it toward the corners. If it resists, let it relax and try again until it fills the pan.

Let the dough rise at room temperature for another 30 minutes to 1 hour, until it stretches easily and visible air bubbles form. Don’t let it go too far—you want it airy, not over-proofed.

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

In a small bowl, stir together 80 g warm water, 4 g salt, and 27 g olive oil until the salt dissolves.

Drizzle olive oil over the dough. With well-oiled fingers, press straight down into the dough, creating deep dimples all the way to the bottom of the pan. Pour the brine evenly over the surface so it settles into the dimples, then finish with flaky salt.

Bake for 30–35 minutes, until deeply golden, the brine bubbles in the dimples, and the bottom is crisp.

Although it's hard to resist, let it cool before tearing in.

This recipe isn’t about making “perfect” focaccia (although it does)—it’s about creating something simple that you actually want to make again next week.

If you’re planning a trip to Italy and want help building an itinerary around experiences like this—the food, the rhythm, the everyday moments—I can help you plan it.