While there may not be an official national holiday for focaccia, #FocacciaFriday has become a widespread social media trend and a beloved weekly tradition that I enjoy. Bakeries and home cooks alike spend Fridays baking and sharing pictures of fresh, dimpled, and artfully decorated loaves. That is exactly what I decided to do this week, but with a twist: I baked mine in cast-iron skillets. Wow, what a difference that made!
In the past, I had followed Maurizio Leo's excellent recipe for "A Simple Sourdough Focaccia," baking it in a standard 9×13″ rectangular metal pan. However, I had only lightly brushed the pan with olive oil—even though he suggested oiling it liberally. Then I came across this piece of wisdom from chef Brian Lagerstrom,
" Do not be shy on the EVOO [ Extra Virgin Olive Oil]. You need a pool of oil in that cast iron. Roughly a quarter cup in the pan, plus more drizzled on top before baking. This isn’t about preventing sticking. The oil is an ingredient. It fries the crust, flavors the bread, and creates that signature focaccia texture."
With that advice in mind, I set out to bake a couple of round cast-iron loaves topped with savory sun-dried tomatoes and homemade garlic confit.
Ingredients
- 212g all-purpose flour
- 90g high-protein bread flour
- 6g extra virgin olive oil
- 230g water
- 6g salt
- 115g ripe sourdough starter
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Extra olive oil (generous amount for pan coating and drizzling)
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Toppings: Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic confit, fresh herbs, and coarse sea salt
Directions
Mix (9:00 AM)
- Initial Mix: Combine flours, water, salt, and sourdough starter in a mixer with a dough hook. Mix on low for 2 minutes, then medium for 5 minutes until cohesive. Rest 10 minutes.
- Add Oil: Drizzle in olive oil on low speed. Once absorbed, mix on medium for 1–2 minutes until smooth.
- Transfer: Move dough to a covered container.
Bulk Fermentation (9:15 AM – 11:15 AM)
- Perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes, starting 30 minutes in.
Proof (11:15 AM – 3:15 PM)
- Pan Setup: Well-oil a 9×13″ pan (or two 10″ round pans [preferably well-seasoned cast iron]) and transfer the dough into it.
- Shape & Proof: Let proof for a total of 4 hours. During the first hour, gently stretch the dough toward the edges every 30 minutes (it will naturally relax the rest of the way). Cover for the remaining time.
- Preheat: Set oven to 450°F (230°C) during the last 30 minutes of proofing.
Top & Bake (3:15 PM)
- Finish: Dimple dough with wet fingers, drizzle generously with olive oil, and top with herbs and sea salt.
- Bake: Bake 30 minutes until golden on top and bottom. Cool slightly in the pan before serving.
Note 1: For an overnight proof, refrigerate halfway through the 4-hour pan proof. Bring to room temperature the next day until bubbly, then top and bake.
Note 2 (Flavor Profile): I used a Tuscan-flavored olive oil, which paired with the sweet garlic confit and tart sun-dried tomatoes to create an extraordinarily rich and aromatic loaf.
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The Neighbor Test
Because I love to share fresh bread, I gave the two loaves to different families in our neighborhood. It wasn't long before the text messages started coming in!
One neighbor texted:
"I just came home and had a piece of your focaccia. It was literally a slice of Heaven! The herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and texture were perfection. Thank you so much for sharing with our family! ❤️❤️❤️"
Later in the afternoon, another wrote:
"That bread you gave me today… absolutely delicious! Everyone in my house is addicted. We are in trouble, and so are you—we’re going to need more of this on a regular basis now. I’m mad you introduced us to this!"
Give this cast-iron technique a try for your next #FocacciaFriday, and let us know in the comments below what kind of reactions you get to this rich, savory, and crispy crust!