Recipe of the Month: King Arthur’s Big and Bubbly Focaccia
by GRP Biathlete, Margie Freed
based on King Arthur: Big and Bubbly Focaccia
Photo from King Arthur Flour
It's easy enough to Google recipes for basic things, but having a go-to tried and true is the way to ensure delight every time you get in the kitchen. When the King Arthur recipe for Big and Bubbly Focaccia came with a recent bag of flour I bought I knew I had to try it. Especially when I saw it was their 2025 Recipe of the Year! The online version of the recipe (linked above) has more details and videos which is perfect if making bread seems intimidating. Try it out, and you’ll be glad you did.
Ingredients:
3 C (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ t table salt
1 t granulated sugar
1 t instant yeast
1 ¼ C water, warm (90°F to 110°F)*
1 ½ T extra-virgin olive oil
For the topping:
2 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Flaky sea salt
Instructions:
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. Stir in water and oil until well combined. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
Perform a bowl fold. Using a wet hand, grab a section of dough from one side of bowl, lift up, and press into center. Repeat 8 to 12 times, working around bowl. Flip dough, smooth side up, in bowl. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Repeat bowl fold 3 more times, allowing dough to rest, covered, for 15 minutes between folds. After last fold, cover and let rise at warm room temperature for 1 hour, until puffy and bubbly.
Grease bottom and sides of a 10” pan (cast iron if possible) with nonstick spray. Line with a 3”x16” strip of parchment, leaving overhang on 2 sides. Grease parchment with nonstick spray, then add 1 tablespoon oil, tilt pan to spread evenly.
Gently transfer dough to prepared pan; flip to coat in oil. Cover and let rise for about 1 ½ hours, until marshmallow-y and near rim of pan. Toward end of rise, preheat oven to 475°F with rack in lower third.
Dimple focaccia all over with oiled fingers, pressing deeply into dough and spacing about 1 ½” apart. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon oil over dough, then sprinkle with flaky salt.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until deep golden brown.
Using parchment tabs, transfer focaccia to a wire rack. Turn off oven, remove parchment, and slide focaccia back into oven, directly on lower rack, for 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp. Return to wire rack; let cool completely.