Ingredients
For the Dough:
- Bread flour: 500g (approx. 4 cups)
- Warm water: 420ml (approx. 1 ¾ cups)
- Instant yeast: 7g (1 packet)
- Honey or sugar: 1 tsp
- Fine sea salt: 10g (approx. 2 tsp)
- Extra virgin olive oil: 2 tbsp (for dough) + 4–5 tbsp (for pan and drizzling)
Garlic Herb & Cheese Topping:
- Minced garlic: 4 cloves
- Fresh herbs: 3 tbsp finely chopped (parsley, rosemary, or basil)
- Extra virgin olive oil: ¼ cup
- Parmesan cheese: ½ cup finely shredded
- Flaky sea salt: 1 tsp
Instructions
1. Mix & Cold Ferment (For Big Air Bubbles)
- Whisk warm water, honey, and yeast in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Add bread flour, 2 tbsp olive oil, and fine sea salt. Mix until a wet, sticky dough forms with no dry spots.
- Cover and perform 3 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes over 1.5 hours:
- Stretch & Fold: Wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, pull it up, and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat for all 4 sides.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Cold fermentation creates the giant air pockets seen in the video.
2. Pan Proofing
- Line a glass or metal baking pan with parchment paper and drizzle 3 tbsp of olive oil over it.
- Gently transfer the cold dough into the pan. Turn it over once to coat both sides in oil.
- Let it rise at room temperature, uncovered, for 2 to 4 hours until it fully fills the dish and becomes super jiggly and filled with bubbles.
3. Topping & Dimpling
- Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F).
- Mix ¼ cup olive oil, minced garlic, and fresh herbs in a small bowl.
- Drizzle extra olive oil over the top of the dough, then spoon the garlic herb mixture evenly across the surface.
- Oil your fingers and press them deep into the dough until touching the bottom of the dish to create deep dimples, watching the large air bubbles bloom.
- Generously sprinkle the shredded parmesan cheese and flaky sea salt over the top.
4. Bake
- Bake for 22 to 26 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden brown, and bubbling, and the crust turns deep golden brown.
- Transfer to a cooling rack immediately so the bottom stays crispy. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.


