Is there really anything better than bread cooked in olive oil? Yes, that’s no-knead bread cooked in olive oil.

I know what you’re thinking, can you really make bread without kneading it? The answer is yes, you can. The secret is time. You’re replacing the labour with time. If you’re looking for a quick easy bread recipe then unfortunately, this is not it. But you’re down for a ‘set and forget’ kind of recipe then this is for you.

Ingredients

475ml (or 2 cups) of warm water
10g active dry yeast
1/2 tbs sugar
450g or (4 cups) bread flour
1/2 tbs salt
olive oil

Since there are barely any ingredients in this bread recipe, I highly recommend using a good olive oil.

Method

In a bowl, test/activate your yeast by combining warm water, yeast and sugar together. Stir, cover and let mixture sit for 5 minutes. (It should look foamy after 5 mins, if not, your yeast is dead)

Add flour and salt to the yeasty mixture and stir to combine. (The dough should be very wet but will still be able to pull away from the bowl and form a semi ball)

In a different large bowl, coat the inside generously with olive oil. Pour your dough mixture into the olive oil and rotate the ball for all sides to be evenly coated in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Now you have 2 options: the quick way or the long way.

Quick method:
Leave the covered bowl in a warm spot and let proof for 5 hours.
Long method:
Leave the covered bowl inside the fridge and let proof overnight (max 13 hours). This will allow time for the dough to ferment which will give the focaccia a deeper flavour and a better rise.

Butter the insides of your baking dish and lay a piece of parchment paper on the bottom. [i recommend the parchment paper because I learnt it the hard way]. Coat the buttered pan with a drizzle of olive oil (yes, we want extra non stick) and pour your proofed dough into the baking dish. Gently spread out your dough, cover and leave to proof again in a warm spot for 4-5 hours.

After the 2nd proof, drizzle the top of your dough with olive oil and lightly, with oiled hands, dimple your dough. Sprinkle flaky sea salt or any other toppings of your choice and bake at 230C/450F for 35-45 mins. Slice and serve fresh out of the oven.