Easy No-Knead Focaccia with Roasted Garlic and Rosemary

INGREDIENTS

For the Roasted Garlic

• 2 heads of garlic
• Olive oil, for drizzling

For the Focaccia

• 4½ cups (22½ oz/639 g) bread flour
• 2½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons instant yeast
• 2½ cups (20 fl oz/600 ml) warm water
• ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary

DIRECTIONS

The Day Before

Make the Roasted Garlic

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the tops off of two heads of garlic to expose the tops of the cloves, drizzle the cut ends with a bit of olive oil and wrap the bulbs in aluminum foil.
2. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until completely soft. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then squeeze the roasted garlic into a bowl and mash up with a fork. Set aside on the counter.

Make the Dough

1. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, sugar and yeast together.
2. Stir the warm water and roasted garlic together into the flour mixture and stir until completely moistened and you have a rough, shaggy dough.
3. Around the edge of the bowl pour in ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) of olive oil and swirl to coat the dough all around. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave on the counter overnight, for at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours.

The Next Day

1. Pull the edges of the dough into the center all around and push down to both deflate the dough and form a ball. Place the dough, seam side down, into a greased 9x13-inch (22x33 cm) baking pan baking dish and let rise, covered for a minimum of 4 hours but up to 6 hours. Do not cut this time short, it's very important for a thick, bubbly focaccia.
2. 30 minutes before the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
3. Then oil your hands and press deep dimples all over the surface of the dough. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle the rosemary over the top.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes before serving.
5. This is best the day it is made but you can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It also can be frozen for up to 8 weeks.

Recipe Notes

• You can roast the garlic up to 2 days in advance. Squeeze out the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• I use my air fryer to roast the garlic, as it's quicker. If you have one, follow the directions for your particular model.
• If your kitchen is very warm, let this dough rise overnight in the fridge (this is called cold-fermenting). Your second proof the next day will take a bit longer, roughly up to 6 hours, so be sure to account for that time.
• Try a classic variation by pressing pitted kalamata olives into the dough before baking.
• For an unexpected but delicious variation on this easy focaccia bread recipe, press seedless red grapes into the surface before baking. You can also sprinkle on sea salt, pepper, and fresh or dried herbs.