recipes

No-Knead Red Onion Focaccia

June 13

This no-knead red onion focaccia is all about maximum flavour with minimal effort. The overnight rise deepens the dough’s character, while the generous olive oil and simple topping of garlic, rosemary, and sweet red onions give it a rustic charm. Don’t rush the rises—time is your best ingredient here. Serve warm or at room temperature, torn into pieces at the table for a truly satisfying bake.

Serves 8
1 hour 15 plus proofing time

Method

1. Mix together the dried yeast, caster sugar and warm water together in a large bowl. Whisk, then leave for 15 minutes until a foam forms.
2. Add the flour and salt to this and stir to combine with a wooden spoon until you have a rough but evenly mixed dough.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil to a separate large clean bowl, transfer the dough into this. Turn to coat the dough in the oil and cover and leave in the fridge overnight to rise (alternatively leave covered at room temperature for 4 hours to bake the same day).
4. When the dough has risen, lightly coat your hands with oil then pull up the edge of one side of the dough and fold over the top. Repeat this on all four sides, turning the bowl a quarter turn each time to make this easier. Do this folding process three times in total.
5. Now, add the remaining oil to the prepared tin and tip in the dough, spreading it out with your hands to roughly the size of the tin - don’t worry if it doesn’t fill the tin entirely, it will rise into the space. Leave to rise for at least an hour, uncovered.
6. While this is rising, bash the garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar with a little salt, until a paste forms, slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil until combined.
7. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7 and butter a 13 x 9 inch baking tray. Drizzle the buttered tray with a little extra virgin olive oil and add a sprinkle of salt. The tray should be at least an inch in depth.
8. After an hour, oil your hands again, and then, to create the indentations, spread apart your fingers and press into the dough, reaching the base of the tray.
9. Spread the garlic paste on top of the focaccia, pushing it down into the indentations then add the red onion slices and rosemary sprigs, along with a little more sea salt.
10. Place in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden. Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes then slide a thin spatula underneath and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

1 packet (0.25 oz / 7g) active dry yeast

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 ½ cups warm water (about 110°F )

5 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sea salt flakes

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for oiling hands and drizzling

2–4 garlic cloves, minced or thinly sliced

2 red onions, thinly sliced

A few rosemary sprigs

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the dough:

1x 7g sachet dried yeast

1 tbsp caster sugar

600ml warm water

650g plain flour

1 tbsp sea salt flakes

6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for hands and drizzling

2–4 garlic cloves