Overnight proving makes this a low-effort, high-reward bread. You don't even need get your hands dirty. Great video instructions are on Bonappetit.com. 

This is a plain focaccia but you can add flavour bursts to your dough such as herbs, olives, sundried tomatoes - any Mediterranean antipasti and even grapes go well in focaccia. 

2 1/2 c lukewarm water

2 1/4 tsp active dried yeast

2 tsp honey

5 c /625 g flour (I used wheat and spelt)

1 Tbsp salt

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp olive oil

sea salt flakes

optional glaze - melted butter, chopped garlic

The night before, make the dough. In a large bowl mix in the water, yeast and honey and leave to rest for 5 minutes until frothy.

Add in the flour and salt and mix with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms.

Pour 4 Tbsp olive oil into the bowl to coat the dough. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight or for at least 8 hours. If you want to make it the same day, leave at room temperature for 3-4 hours until the dough has doubled in size.

Grease a rectangular sponge roll tin generously with butter or oil, then pour a Tbsp of oil in the middle of the tin. You can also use a smaller high-sided tin if you wish.

Using 2 forks, lift and fold the dough inside the bowl to deflate and form into a ball at the same time. Transfer to your baking tin and turn over once to coat in the oil.

Leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, at least 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 220C. With oiled fingers, press indentations all over the dough right down to the bottom. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter over flaky sea salt.

Bake for 20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of your bread, until golden brown.

If desired you can glaze the bread with melted butter and finely chopped garlic just before serving. I didn't bother this time, as it was lovely just dunked into some red lentil soup I had made.