Herby Cheddar Focaccia
I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a better way to kick off summer herb season than with cheesy focaccia. If you’ve never made focaccia, I promise you can do this. It’s the most forgiving, shapeless bread in all the land. Please note that this is an overnight recipe so plan accordingly! Just start it about 1 hour before you go to bed and let the fridge do some work overnight.
This recipe also features my forever favorite Cabot extra sharp cheddar - a naturally lactose free cheese for anyone who struggles with dairy lactose (like me!). Use any herbs you like, but honestly chives are the best here. Hope you enjoy and happy summer :)
Makes 1 pan or tray of focaccia
For the dough:
500g flour (3.75 cups)
8oz Cabot extra sharp cheddar, shredded or tiny cubes
1/4 cup minced chives (or other herb of choice, but chives are amazing in this!)
12g salt (2 tsp)
4g instant or dry active yeast (about 1 tsp)
400g (slightly less than 1.75 cups warm water)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tbsp flaky sea salt for topping
In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine the flour, minced herbs, 1/2 the shredded cheddar (4oz) and salt. If using instant yeast, mix that in as well. If not, see step two.
Mix the warm water and dry active yeast (if using). Whisk until well combined and let it sit until well dissolved and/or frothy.
Add the water or water-yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until combined - there should be no dry bits. The dough will be wet and sticky - this is the goal (see photo above on the left)! Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
4. After a 15 minute rest, do 1 round of stretch and folds - pulling the dough up and into the center. It helps to do this with a wet hand. Continue to do this around the dough until it is somewhat more smooth. Cover and rest another 15 minutes.
5. Place the covered bowl into the fridge overnight. Goodnight, dough :)
6. In the morning (see photos above), line a sheet pan or deep baking dish (roughly 12x8x2) with parchment paper and drizzle 1/8 cup of the olive oil all over it. With wet or oiled hands, transfer the dough to the pan. Spread it out to mostly fill the pan but don’t worry if it doesn’t touch all the sides.
7. Cover and let the dough sit on the counter for 2-4 hours until it has become considerably puffy and has filled the pan (see photo above on the right). If covering with plastic wrap, it can be helpful to oil the top of the dough at this point, too, so it won’t stick as much.
8. Pre-heat the oven to 425F when ready to bake. Top the dough with a bit more olive oil if necessary, some flaky sea salt, the remaining cheddar, and additional chives if you like - if you have chive flowers, use as a bonus edible decoration. Dimple the dough (press into it gently with 2-3 fingers on each hand).
9. Bake for 30-40 minutes, rotating halfway through. Once the entire top is a light golden brown, it is ready. Allow to cool in the pan or on the sheet tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!
I would love to see your creations! Tag @nokneadtoworry on Instagram. Thank you to Cabot Cheese for sponsoring this post.
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