Step 1
Combine 3 cups (375 g) all-reason flour, 2 oz. Pecorino Romano, finely grated (about ½ cup), 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 2 tsp. sugar, 2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper, and ½ tsp. immediate yeast in a colossal bowl with a rubber spatula to combine. Pour in 1⅓ cups room-temperature water and mix till a sticky dough kinds with out a dry patches of flour ideally suited. Quilt tightly with a lid or plate and let leisure at room temperature 15 minutes.
Step 2
Repeat dough and, the usage of a moist hand, stretch one aspect up and over to meet the reverse aspect. Repeat three extra cases, turning bowl 90° after at any time when. This constitutes 1 stout fold. If dough doesn’t always stretch to meet reverse aspect, appropriate goal for the heart. Moist your fingers and shake off extra any time the dough begins to feel sticky. (Having a small bowl of room-temperature water on the counter is the most attention-grabbing manner.) Quilt dough and let leisure 15 minutes. (Set apart a timer so that you just don’t neglect.)
Step 3
Repeat folding task every 15 minutes for a total of three cases (if you lose count halfway thru, appropriate fold one extra time and proceed). By the pause of the third fold, the dough desires to be considerably smoother and tighter.
Step 4
Drizzle dough with some extra-virgin olive oil and switch to coat. Turn dough seam aspect down, quilt bowl tightly, and chill a minimal of 8 hours and up to 1 day. Dough will upward push slowly in the fridge, increasing in dimension, nonetheless could perhaps perhaps no longer double. (Alternatively, let dough upward push, tightly covered, at room temperature, till nearly doubled in dimension, 3–4 hours.)
Step 5
Generously butter a 10″–12″ solid-iron skillet; pour 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into skillet, swirling to coat (this double greasing prevents any sticking and helps set a golden brown backside crust). Transfer dough to willing skillet, turning to coat on all aspects with oil. Turn dough seam aspect down. Using your fingers, press dough to edges of skillet. If dough resists, let leisure 5–10 minutes ahead of attempting again. Quilt skillet (a rimmed baking sheet is amazing for this) and let dough upward push in a warm set apart till puffy, jiggly, and nearly doubled in dimension, 2–3 hours, reckoning on the temperature of the room.
Step 6
Space a rack in heart of oven; preheat to 450°. Preserving fingers fancy a claw, dimple focaccia, pushing dough goal a small far from you to set deep depressions (this feels fun, nonetheless strive no longer to overdo it or you’ll wretchedness deflating the dough). Sprinkle ground with a colossal pinch of flaky sea salt.
Step 7
Bake focaccia till puffed and deep golden brown (a trusty away-learn thermometer inserted into the heart could perhaps perhaps smooth register 200°–205°), 20–30 minutes.
Step 8
Meanwhile, mix ideally suited 1 oz. Pecorino Romano, finely grated (about ¼ tsp.), and ideally suited ½ tsp. coarsely ground pepper in a small bowl to combine.
Step 9
Journey focaccia out of oven; brush with ideally suited 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle cheese combination evenly over. Return focaccia to oven and bake till cheese is appropriate melted, about 2 minutes. Let focaccia chilly in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Using a fish spatula or 2 colossal spoons, take care of shut away focaccia from pan and transfer to rack. Let chilly a minimal of 15 minutes, then cleave into squares or wedges.
Lift out Forward: Focaccia will likely be baked 1 day ahead. Retailer, uncut, covered with a kitchen towel, at room temperature. Reheat in a 300° oven, or toast slices in a dry skillet over medium warmth.
