If anything in baking intimidates a novice baker, it’s bread. While every type of baked good from cookies to pie presents opportunities to make mistakes, nothing is quite as sensitive and inscrutable as yeasted doughs. The promise of baking sweet treats, and the reason so many people start their cooking journeys with them, is that if you just follow the directions, make sure the measurements are correct, and take your time, whatever you’re making should turn out at least pretty good, whether it’s cakes, cookies, or brownies.
But bread is different. Bread involves a lot of easy-to-make mistakes, needing the right temperature at various stages, as well as to be handled properly, and left to rise (or not), which can all end with a flat flavorless loaf. And even with everything done right, your bread dough may behave differently each time you make it. It’s enough to drive even experienced bakers bananas. But one particular bread type makes things a little easier on you, and also happens to be one of the most delicious: focaccia.
Among the beginner bakes that every novice should master, focaccia is a solid choice for those who want to start mastering bread. Tasting Table baking expert Sara Klimek says that, “in terms of bread, it’s about as hands-off as it gets.” Because of its unique shape, being spread out in a sheet pan, focaccia isn’t nearly as dependent on skillful kneading and shaping as other breads are. Even the best focaccia recipes are mostly a mix-it and forget it situation.
Focaccia is a hands-off recipe to try
Normally when kneading bread dough you either need specialty equipment like a mixer, or you need to do it by hand until your dough passes the windowpane test. But focaccia is a classic no-knead bread, where everything is taken care of by simply waiting. Once you mix your homemade focaccia dough, you just let it sit in the fridge. You can leave it there anywhere from overnight to 48 hours with little difference in quality, although longer will help it develop more flavor. The rising dough will naturally develop air bubbles that give focaccia its structure. Then it gets turned out onto a baking pan and spread out for a second rise, with no need to shape it or score it other than a little dimpling with fingers that anyone can handle.
Beyond being no-knead, focaccia is also very flavorful from all the olive oil used. Other breads rely on finicky sourdough or yeast fermentation to coax natural flavors out of the flour. But the generous use of buttery olive oil means focaccia will taste great no matter what. It also coats the bread when it goes in the oven, giving focaccia a naturally crispy exterior with no major effort. By letting time and olive oil do the work for you, focaccia makes things easy for novice bakers, and produces results that will get you hooked on homemade bread.
