No-Knead Focaccia Bread

(¼-oz.) envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)

1 tsp. honey

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for hands

Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for pan

Flaky sea salt

1 Tbsp minced herbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Cooking Tools

2 large mixing bowls

9 X 13 baking pan

Directions

Whisk yeast (about 2¼ tsp.), 1 tsp of honey and 2 1/2 cups of lukewarm water in a medium bowl and let sit 5 minutes (it should foam or at least get creamy.

Add 5 cups of flour and 2 tsp salt and mix with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms and no dry streaks remain.

Pour 4 Tbsp of olive oil into a big bowl that will fit in your refrigerator. This dough will rise. Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with a silicone lid or plastic wrap and chill until dough is doubled in size (it should look very bubbly), at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. If you’re in a rush, you can also let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 3–4 hours.

Generously grease a 9 X 13 baking pan, with olive oil or butter, for thicker focaccia that’s perfect for sandwiches, or an 18×13″ rimmed baking sheet, for focaccia that’s thinner, crispier, but it’ll ensure that your focaccia doesn’t stick. Pour 1 Tbsp of olive oil into center of pan. Keeping the dough in the bowl and using oiled hands, gather up edges of dough farthest from you and lift up and over into center of bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat process. Do this 2 more times; you want to deflate dough while you form it into a rough ball. Transfer dough to prepared pan. Pour any oil left in bowl over and turn dough to coat it in oil. Let rise, uncovered, in a dry, warm spot until doubled in size, at least 1½ hours and up to 4 hours.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. To see if the dough is ready, poke it with your finger. It should spring back slowly, leaving a small visible indentation. If it springs back quickly, the dough isn’t ready. Lightly oil your hands. If using a rimmed baking sheet, gently stretch out dough to fill (you probably won’t need to do this if using a baking pan). Dimple focaccia all over with your fingers, creating very deep depressions in the dough (reach your fingers all the way to the bottom of the pan). Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake focaccia until puffed and golden brown all over, 20–30 minutes. Once bread comes out of oven, let cool for about 10 minutes before sprinkling cheese and minced herbs. You can also coat the top with melted butter.