Original video by @BrianLagerstrom — all credit to the creator.

Cast Iron Focaccia

Name: Cast Iron Focaccia
Cook time: 18 min
Yield: One 12-inch focaccia
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 360 g water, at 90F/31C (1½ c; plus 20 g additional for dissolving the yeast and salt); 10 g sugar (2⅓ tsp); 25 g olive oil (1¾ Tbsp; plus ¼ cup or more for the pan and drizzling); 450 g bread flour (3½ c; 12.7% protein); 4 g instant yeast (1¼ tsp); 12 g salt (2 tsp); flaky salt (for finishing)

A one-pan focaccia with a deeply golden, crisp olive-oil crust and an airy, tender crumb. A long cold ferment does most of the work, so the hands-on effort stays minimal.

⏱ 18 minOne 12-inch focacciaItalianfocacciabreadcast ironolive oilbaking

Ingredients

360 gwater, at 90F/31C · 1½ c; plus 20 g additional for dissolving the yeast and salt
10 gsugar · 2⅓ tsp
25 golive oil · 1¾ Tbsp; plus ¼ cup or more for the pan and drizzling
450 gbread flour · 3½ c; 12.7% protein
4 ginstant yeast · 1¼ tsp
12 gsalt · 2 tsp
—flaky salt · for finishing

Steps

1
In a bowl, mix the 360 g warm water, sugar, olive oil, and flour until combined, finishing by mixing with a wet hand. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
2
Mix the 20 g warm water with the instant yeast and salt.
3
Add the yeast mixture to the dough and mix about 60 seconds, until no dry clumps remain. Cover and ferment 30 minutes.
4
Do a stretch and fold, repeating 4–5 times around the bowl.
5
Flip the dough seam-side down and round it into a ball using a 10-to-2 motion to build tension. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
6
Do a second round of folds, then round the dough into a tight ball again.
7
Cover and refrigerate 4–24 hours.
8
Add about ¼ cup olive oil to a 12-inch cast iron pan. Transfer the dough to the pan, bottom side up.
9
Oil your fingertips, then dimple and gently stretch the dough into the pan. If it springs back, wait a few minutes and continue.
10
Cover and proof 60 minutes in a warm spot (70F or above).
11
Drizzle more olive oil over the dough and dimple again, pressing 10–12 times all the way to the bottom of the pan.
12
Cover and proof 30 minutes, until doubled, jiggly, and bubbly.
13
Preheat the oven to 500F/260C.
14
Top the dough with flaky salt.
15
Bake 15–18 minutes, until deeply golden.
16
Remove the focaccia from the pan immediately and cool on a rack 15–20 minutes before cutting.

Creator's notes

Detailed recipe available at https://brianlagerstrom.com/recipes/cast-iron-focaccia

More from Brian Lagerstrom

All recipes →

YouTube

Neapolitan Pizza at Home

Blistered, puffy-rimmed Neapolitan pizza with a long-fermented 00-flour dough, a bright two-ingredient tomato sauce, and torn buffalo mozzarella. Ninety seconds in a screaming-hot pizza oven gives you leopard-spotted char and a crust that stays tender.

⏱ 2 minFour 12-inch pizzasmain

YouTube

3 Homemade Salsas: Restaurant-Style, Roasted Tomatillo, and Dried Chile Taquera

Three salsas that beat anything from a jar: a bright food-processor restaurant salsa, a smoky roasted tomatillo-poblano version, and a deep, fried dried-chile taquera salsa. Each one comes together with pantry staples and a blender or food processor.

⏱ 70 minsauce

YouTube

Crispy Braised Pork Tacos (Carnitas-Style)

Cubes of pork shoulder are cured with garlic and oregano, slow-braised with orange and cinnamon until shreddable, then crisped in their own rendered fat until the edges go bacon-crisp. Piled onto warm tortillas with onion, cilantro, and salsa taquera, they're juicy inside and golden outside.

⏱ 240 minmain