Cold-Fermented Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia

Method

1. Pour 90% of the water into a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in it, then add the flour and mix until no dry flour remains. Keep the rest of the water aside. Cover and rest for 30 min; the dough starts building gluten on its own and becomes much easier to handle.

   Add in this stepWater (room temperature) 180 mlInstant dried yeast 1 gHoney ½ tspBread flour 250 g

2. Add the salt and the reserved water and pinch and squeeze the dough with wet hands until all the water is absorbed, then work in the olive oil the same way. Now do 4 sets of coil folds: wet both hands, lift the dough from the middle until the ends release from the bowl, let them tuck underneath, turn the bowl and repeat once from the other direction. Rest 20 min between each set. By the end the dough should be smooth, bouncy and puffy.

   Add in this stepFine salt 6 gWater (room temperature) 20 mlExtra virgin olive oil 0.6 tbsp

3. Move it to a lidded container and refrigerate for at least 12 h, up to 24 hours. This slow, cold rise develops a sweet, nutty flavour and the big open holes you see after baking.

4. Oil a 20×20 cm tin generously. Ease the cold dough away from the sides of the container, tip it into the tin, turn it once to coat and stretch it only as far as it will go. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2 h, gently pushing it into the corners with your fingertips every 20–30 minutes. It is ready when doubled and it wobbles like jelly when you shake the tin.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil 1½ tbsp

5. Towards the end of the rise, put a pizza stone or an upturned baking tray in the oven and heat it to 240 °C for at least 30 minutes. Put the remaining olive oil, the thinly sliced garlic and the rosemary leaves in a small pan and warm over low heat for 5 min, taking it off the heat as soon as the garlic turns pale gold; brown garlic tastes bitter. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil 3.9 tbspGarlic cloves 3Fresh rosemary sprigs 2

   low heat

6. Dip your fingertips in the infused oil and press deep dimples right down to the bottom of the tin. Spoon the oil, garlic and rosemary all over, keeping back one spoonful of oil, and sprinkle with the flaky salt. Set the tin on the hot stone and bake in the oven at 240 °C for 22 min, until deep golden on top, the edges look fried and crisp and the base is browned.

   Add in this stepFlaky sea salt ½ tsp

   oven

7. Move it straight to a wire rack and brush with the reserved infused oil for shine. Let it cool for about 15 minutes so the crumb sets and doesn't squash when you cut it.