Honey Garlic Focaccia with Italian 00 Flour

There are few things that make a kitchen smell quite as good as homemade bread baking in the oven.

I originally made this focaccia for a birthday lunch I was cooking for one of my best friends. I knew I wanted to make sandwiches, and instead of buying the bread, I decided to make the focaccia from scratch. And I am very glad I did.

The result was exactly what I wanted: golden and crisp around the edges, soft and airy through the center, and covered in a roasted honey-garlic olive oil that settled into all of those classic focaccia dimples.

At the last minute, I added a little TRUFF Mild Hot Sauce to the honey-garlic oil – and that might have been my favorite decision of the entire recipe. It doesn’t make the bread particularly spicy. Instead, it adds just enough heat and acidity to balance the sweetness of the honey, richness of the olive oil and mellow roasted garlic.

If you’ve never made bread from scratch before, focaccia is also a wonderful place to start. There’s no complicated shaping and very little hands-on work. Instead, we’re using a high-hydration dough, a few rounds of stretch-and-folds, and time to do most of the work for us.

And while I used this loaf to make sandwiches, I would happily eat it warm from the oven exactly as it is.

Why Italian 00 Flour?

If you’ve spent any time in my kitchen, you probably already know I love using Italian 00 flour.

One misconception worth clearing up: “00” doesn’t tell you how much protein or gluten a flour contains. It refers primarily to how finely the flour has been milled.

That very fine texture is one of the reasons I enjoy working with it.

For this focaccia, I used 500 grams of Italian 00 flour paired with a relatively high amount of water to create a soft, airy interior beneath that golden exterior.

One important note: different brands and varieties of 00 flour can have different protein contents and are designed for different applications. A 00 flour intended for pizza may behave differently from one intended for pastry, so I recommend using the gram measurements in this recipe and paying attention to the dough rather than assuming every 00 flour will behave identically.

And while I personally enjoy using Italian flour, I’m not choosing it because “00” automatically makes flour healthier. I use it because I enjoy the ingredient, how it behaves in my recipes and, most importantly, the finished result.

The Secret to Airy Focaccia: Don’t Be Afraid of a Wet Dough

If you make this recipe and think: There is absolutely no way this dough is supposed to be this sticky…
You’re probably doing it right.

This recipe uses: 500 g flour + 390 g water

That gives us approximately 78% hydration, meaning the weight of the water is 78% of the weight of the flour.

Higher-hydration doughs contain more water relative to flour and can help create the open, airy crumb we’re looking for in focaccia.

But they also feel very different from a traditional bread dough.

This dough will be wet. It will be sticky. And your first instinct may be to start adding more flour until it becomes easier to handle.

Don’t.

As the dough rests and you work through the stretch-and-folds, it will begin developing strength and become noticeably easier to work with.

Tia’s Tip: Lightly wet or oil your hands before handling the dough. It makes working with a sticky, high-hydration dough significantly easier without changing the flour-to-water ratio.

Why Stretch & Fold Instead of Kneading?

Traditional bread recipes often call for several minutes of kneading to develop the dough’s gluten network.

For this focaccia, we’re taking a gentler approach.

After mixing the dough, you’ll allow it to rest for 30 minutes and then perform a series of stretch-and-folds.

Grab one side of the dough, gently stretch it upward and fold it back over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat until you’ve worked your way around the dough.

Then cover it and let it rest again.

We’ll repeat this process four times, approximately 30 minutes apart.

These folds progressively strengthen the dough and help it develop enough structure to hold onto the gases produced during fermentation – which is part of how we get that beautiful, airy interior.

Very little effort. A little patience. Really good bread.

Why I Prefer an Overnight Cold Fermentation

You can make this focaccia in one day, and I’ve included that option below.

But if I have the time, I prefer to make the dough the day before and allow it to ferment slowly in the refrigerator overnight.

Slowing fermentation gives the dough more time to develop flavor, and it also makes homemade bread incredibly convenient.

Do most of the work the night before, put the dough in the refrigerator, and finish it the following day.

For me, that’s a win.

The Honey Garlic Oil

Now for the part that takes this focaccia from really good to I need another piece immediately.

Instead of simply topping the dough with olive oil, we’re making a mixture of:

Extra virgin olive oil + roasted garlic + honey + TRUFF Mild Hot Sauce + sea salt + black pepper

Why Roast the Garlic?

You could use raw garlic, but roasting completely changes its character.

The sharpness mellows and the cloves become soft, sweet and almost caramelized. Once roasted, they can be mashed directly into the olive oil and distributed throughout the focaccia.

That sweetness works beautifully with the honey without making the finished bread taste like dessert.

The Unexpected Addition: A Little Hot Sauce

This was a last-minute addition when I originally made the recipe, and I’m keeping it.

I added a small amount of TRUFF Mild Hot Sauce to the honey-garlic oil.

We’re not adding enough to turn this into a spicy focaccia. Instead, that little bit of heat and acidity helps balance the sweetness of the honey and the richness of the olive oil.

If you love heat, add a little more.

If you don’t, keep it subtle.

How to Get Those Classic Focaccia Dimples

This is arguably the most satisfying part of making focaccia.

After the dough has completed its final rise, drizzle the honey-garlic oil generously across the surface.

Lightly oil your fingertips and press them deep into the dough, almost to the bottom of the pan.

Don’t be delicate here.

Those deep impressions create little pockets where the olive oil, honey and roasted garlic can collect as the bread bakes.

Finish with fresh rosemary and flaky sea salt, and it’s ready for the oven.

Honey Garlic Focaccia with Italian 00 Flour

Prep time: Approximately 25 minutes active
Stretch & folds: Approximately 2 hours
Fermentation: Overnight recommended
Final rise: 1-2 hours
Bake time: 22-28 minutes
Oven: 425°F / 220°C
Pan: 9 × 13 inches
Yield: 1 focaccia

For the Focaccia

• 500 g Italian 00 flour (approximately 4 cups)
• 390 g warm water (approximately 1⅔ cups + 1 tablespoon)
• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Additional extra virgin olive oil for the pan

For the Honey Garlic Oil

• 5-6 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1-2 teaspoons TRUFF Mild Hot Sauce, or to taste
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper

To Finish

• Fresh rosemary
• Flaky sea salt
• Fresh thyme, optional
• Chopped fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

1. Activate the Yeast

Warm the water to approximately 100-110°F.

Combine the warm water, honey and active dry yeast in a large bowl. Stir gently and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture begins to look foamy.

This lets you know your yeast is active.

2. Make the Dough

Add the 00 flour, fine sea salt and extra virgin olive oil.

Mix until there are no dry pockets of flour remaining.

The dough will be very sticky and considerably wetter than a traditional bread dough.

Resist the urge to add more flour.

Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

3. Stretch & Fold

After 30 minutes, lightly wet or oil your hands.

Grab one side of the dough, gently stretch it upward and fold it over the center.

Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides.

Cover and rest for another 30 minutes.

Repeat until you’ve completed four rounds of stretch-and-folds, approximately 30 minutes apart.

You’ll notice the dough becoming smoother and stronger with each round.

4. Ferment the Dough

For my preferred method, cover the bowl tightly and transfer it to the refrigerator for an overnight cold fermentation.

For a same-day focaccia, cover the dough and allow it to rise at room temperature until noticeably expanded and airy, generally around 2-3 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

5. Make the Honey Garlic Oil

Roast the garlic cloves at 375°F for approximately 35-40 minutes, or until very soft and lightly caramelized.

Allow them to cool enough to handle and mash the cloves.

Combine the roasted garlic with the extra virgin olive oil, honey, TRUFF Mild Hot Sauce, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Set aside.

6. Prepare the Pan & Second Rise

Generously coat a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with extra virgin olive oil.

Transfer the dough into the prepared pan and gently stretch it toward the corners.

If the dough springs back, don’t force it. Let it relax for approximately 15 minutes, then gently stretch it again.

Cover and allow to rise for 1-2 hours, or until the dough looks visibly puffy and airy.

If you’re working with refrigerated dough, the exact timing will depend on how cold the dough is and the temperature of your kitchen.

7. Dimple & Finish

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Pour most of the honey-garlic oil over the surface of the dough.

Lightly oil your fingertips and press deeply into the dough, creating dimples across the entire surface.

Finish with fresh rosemary and flaky sea salt.

8. Bake

Bake for approximately 22-28 minutes, until the focaccia is deeply golden across the top with crisp, browned edges.

Remove from the oven and brush or spoon the remaining honey-garlic oil over the warm bread.

Allow to cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing.

And yes, waiting might be the hardest part of this entire recipe.

Tia’s Tips

Weigh your ingredients if you can. High-hydration bread recipes are much more consistent when flour and water are measured by weight.

Don’t add extra flour. The dough is supposed to be wet and sticky. That’s part of what creates the texture we’re after.

Watch your water temperature. Warm water helps activate your yeast; excessively hot water can damage it.

Give the dough time. Bread works on its own schedule. Look for visual cues—expansion, bubbles and puffiness—rather than relying exclusively on the clock.

Don’t skimp on the olive oil. Olive oil isn’t simply keeping the focaccia from sticking. It’s an integral part of focaccia’s flavor and characteristic crisp exterior.

Don’t be afraid of color. You want a genuinely golden focaccia with beautifully browned edges. Pulling it too early means missing some of that flavor and texture.

Making Focaccia Sandwiches

This was the entire reason I made this focaccia in the first place.

Once the loaf is completely cool, cut it into generous squares or rectangles and slice each piece horizontally.

The slightly sweet, garlicky flavor makes it especially good with savory fillings.

For my friend’s birthday lunch, I used it to make a Sweet + Savory Steak Sandwich with grilled flat iron steak and caramelized onions – and the combination was incredible.

It’s also delicious with grilled chicken, prosciutto, mozzarella or burrata, arugula, pesto, roasted vegetables or a simple combination of tomato and fresh herbs.

Or skip the sandwich entirely, warm up a piece and eat it exactly as it is.

No judgment here.

How to Store Your Focaccia

Focaccia is best the day it’s baked, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 1-2 days.

To bring back that crisp exterior, reheat it for a few minutes in a hot oven or toaster oven before serving.

For longer storage, cut the completely cooled focaccia into individual portions and freeze them in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag.

Then you can pull out individual pieces whenever you want them and reheat until warm and crisp.

I generally wouldn’t refrigerate focaccia simply to extend its shelf life. Refrigeration can accelerate the firming associated with bread staling, so room temperature for short-term storage or freezing for longer storage is the better approach.

A Recipe Worth Making From Scratch

There’s something incredibly satisfying about pulling a loaf of bread out of the oven that you made completely from scratch – especially when you look at how simple the foundation really is.

Flour. Water. Yeast. Honey. Sea salt. Olive oil. Garlic. Herbs.

Give those ingredients a little time, and they turn into something pretty special.

This focaccia was originally supposed to be the bread for the sandwiches.

It ended up being one of my favorite parts of the entire meal.

And this one has officially earned a permanent place in my kitchen.

Rooted in Real Food. Backed by Science. Made for You.