Two-Day Focaccia for Sandwiches

I wanted a sandwich, so naturally I decided to make bread that takes two days to be ready.

Focaccia is my favorite sandwich bread. It is fluffy inside, gets a beautiful golden crust, and can take whatever toppings suit the sandwich you have in mind. This version is also very hands-off: after a few quick folds on the first day, the fridge does most of the work.

The dough is 80% hydration, which gives it that open, airy interior. It is wet and sticky, but wet hands make it easy to handle, and you do not need a stand mixer.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 800 g warm water, about 90°F (30–32°C)
• 7 g instant yeast
• 850 g bread flour
• 150 g whole-wheat flour
• 20 g salt
• 30 g olive oil

For the pan and topping

• Olive oil, as needed for the container, pan, and top
• Fresh thyme, to taste
• Finely grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
• Finishing salt, to taste

Steps

Mix and fold the dough

1. Stir the instant yeast into the warm water.
2. In a large bowl, mix the bread flour and whole-wheat flour until evenly combined.
3. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir until most of the flour is incorporated.
4. Sprinkle in the salt and continue mixing, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl so no dry pockets remain.
5. Add the 30 g of olive oil and mix until the dough is evenly combined, about 5 minutes total. The dough will be very wet and sticky.
6. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
7. Wet your hands. Stretch one side of the dough upward without tearing it, then fold it over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat around the dough to complete one round of stretch and folds.
8. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Repeat the stretch-and-fold round, cover, and rest for another 30 minutes. Complete a third and final round of stretch and folds.

Cold-ferment the dough

1. Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a container large enough to give the dough room to rise.
2. Transfer the dough to the container, cover it, and refrigerate for about 40 to 48 hours.

Proof and bake

1. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet, then drizzle a little more olive oil over the pan.
2. Gently ease the cold dough onto the prepared pan, taking care not to knock out the bubbles. Stretch it lightly toward the edges. It does not need to fill the pan yet.
3. Cover with a lid, plastic wrap, or another baking sheet and let it proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.
4. Near the end of the proof, heat the oven to 500°F (260°C).
5. Uncover the dough and generously drizzle it with your best olive oil. Press your fingertips through the dough to dimple it all over, all the way to the bottom of the pan.
6. Scatter fresh thyme, a light layer of Parmesan, and finishing salt over the top.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, then check the color. If needed, bake for up to 5 minutes more, until deeply golden brown.
8. Move the focaccia to a rack and let it cool before slicing it into 12 sandwich-size pieces.

Notes

For the sandwich in the video, I split a piece of focaccia, buttered the cut sides, and toasted them in a cast-iron pan. I filled it with deli turkey, marble cheddar, crisp bacon, thinly sliced Roma tomato, romaine lettuce, and a little finishing salt.

Keep the focaccia topping simple when you plan to use it for sandwiches, since the filling brings plenty of flavor. If you are serving it on its own, olives, tomatoes, or other cheeses would all work well on top.

The nutrition estimate is for the focaccia dough divided into 12 pieces. It includes the 30 g of olive oil mixed into the dough but not the unmeasured oil used on the pan and top, the Parmesan and other toppings, or any sandwich fillings.