No-Knead, No-Mess Homemade Focaccia

In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, sugar, and salt, mixing to distribute the dry ingredients.

Add the oil and warm water to the dry mixture, and stir well until all dry ingredients are dissolved into the liquid mixture.

Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes to allow the flour to fully hydrate.

After resting, remove the towel and work the dough using a spatula, folding it over itself, bringing the edges to the center, repeating the movement all around.

Lightly dust the worked dough with all-purpose flour, cover it again with the towel, and transfer it to a closed space (like a turned-off microwave) to proof for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in volume.

Gently deflate the proofed dough and divide it into two equal portions, using more all-purpose flour if necessary to handle the sticky dough.

Transfer each portion to a baking pan previously greased with a generous amount of olive oil, spreading the dough across the bottom of the pan with your hands, adding flour if it is too tacky.

Cover the pan and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes to allow the yeast activity to restart and the dough to rise a bit more.

After the final rest, dampen your hands with water and press down gently on the surface of the dough.

Add the toppings, distributing the olives, drizzling generously with olive oil, and finishing with dried parsley (or other preferred herbs).

Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for approximately 30 minutes, or until the surface of the focaccia is nicely golden brown.