There’s something magical about freshly baked focaccine — soft inside, lightly crisp on the edges, and brushed with good olive oil and a pinch of salt. This version is made with stone-ground tipo 1 flour, which gives them more flavor and character than plain white flour, without being heavy like a fully wholemeal dough.

They rise slowly overnight for better digestibility and a deeper aroma, and just before baking they’re pressed with fingertips, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and topped with pink Himalayan salt. Simple, rustic and irresistible — the kind of bread you can eat warm, just as it is, without needing anything on top.

Ingredients

• Type 1 stone-ground flour: 1000 g
• Water: 660 g
• Fresh yeast: 6–8 g
• Extra virgin olive oil: 80 g (plus extra for brushing)
• Fine salt: 24 g
• Diastatic malt powder: 6–8 g

Directions

1. Prepare the dough
   – Dissolve the yeast and malt in the water.
   – Add the flour and mix. After 3–4 minutes, add the salt and olive oil.
   – Knead until smooth and elastic.
2. First rise
   – Cover and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
   – During this time, perform 1–2 sets of folds every 30 minutes to strengthen the dough.
3. Cold fermentation
   – Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 10–12 hours.
4. Shaping (next day)
   – Take the dough out of the fridge and let it come back to room temperature for about 1 hour.
   – Divide into pieces of 70–80 g each and shape into balls.
   – Gently flatten each piece into a small focaccia shape.
5. Second rise
   – Arrange on baking trays lined with parchment paper.
   – Cover with a cloth and let rise for 1.5–2 hours, until puffy.
6. Topping & baking
   – Use your fingertips to create the classic focaccia dimples.
   – Brush generously with olive oil and sprinkle with pink Himalayan salt.
   – Bake in a static oven at 220°C (430°F) for 13–14 minutes, until golden and with an internal temperature of 93–95°C (199–203°F).
7. Freezing (optional)
   – Let the focaccine cool completely.
   – Freeze in food bags or containers.
   – Reheat straight from frozen in the air fryer at 180°C (355°F) for 7 minutes — and they’ll taste freshly baked.