No-knead Overnight Focaccia

My Italian-Canadian husband's tried and true recipe.

Ah, August in France! The peak of summer, when the country hits the pause button, as city offices, public buildings and shops seem to vanish as everyone flees to the coast. The French have mastered the art of the lazy, hazy day, where pétanque is the sport of choice and the only pressing agenda involves endless apéros - those delightful pre-dinner snacks and drinks.

I myself still have two weeks of work left before we head out on vacation to Basque country for a week. But with the return of the hot weather, I have adopted a looser schedule and happily indulge in the pleasures of a lavish apéro almost every evening.

So, for today’s recipe, I’m thrilled to share one of my absolute favorite apéro snacks: my husband Marc’s focaccia! Yes, I know, an iconic Italian nibble making a cameo in my newsletter might surprise you. But this recipe has been on my mind for months and I’ve decided it’s high time to share it with you.

Dipping your fingers all over the focaccia, just before baking - so satisfying!

The story behind this focaccia recipe

My Canadian-Italian husband Marc, has always loved his Italian recipes. Pasta, meatballs, pizza, Parmigiana, you name it. And like most French, I have a soft spot for Italian cooking too! So, his Focaccia recipe - which he took years to perfect - has become a staple in our household. It’s soft, airy and has a perfectly crisp crust.

Focaccia is in fact becoming quite the trend here in France. The charm of Europe lies in how effortlessly recipes traverse borders and blend into new cultures. While this culinary cross-pollination happens globally, it's particularly vibrant in Europe, where countries are close-knit and borders more permeable. Italian recipes have unquestionably found a special place in the French heart.

Fun fact: Did you know the French “out-pizza” the Italians, consuming more pizza per capita than any other country in the world!

We make this recipe at least once a week to enjoy as a side or as a snack with dips. Focaccia makes a terrific sandwich bread too! I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as we do, and that it will become one of your repertoire classics as well.

French dips and spreads to enjoy with focaccia:

• Eggplant Caviar Dip (Caviar d’Aubergine)

• Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence (Poivronade)

• Black Olives Tapenade

• Sardine and Cream cheese rillettes

• Classic French Salmon Rillettes

This is a recipe where I enjoy getting a bit more technical.

If you know me, my cooking style is fairly rustic and forgiving. But for today’s recipe, I felt it was worth taking the time to get down to the nitty gritty so you have all the tools (and proper equipment!) on hand to make this recipe successful. 

While a focaccia is made of only a small amount of every day ingredients (flour, salt, water, yeast), there are some tricks to ensuring a wonderfully crispy, airy and decadent result each time. My husband Marc, the pizza fanatic, has spent a lot of time and research looking for and creating the perfect recipe - and this is his, complete with his tips.