Wholewheat Focaccia bread
If there is any easy bread that tastes amazing as well, it has to be Focaccia in my opinion. It doesn’t need much preparation, can be mend the way we want to and still comes out perfect each time.
What is Focaccia?
It is a kind of yeast flat bread from Italy which is usually topped with herbs , olive oil ,and / or vegetables. This is quite thicker than the Indian flatbread – roti and has air pocket because of the fermentation. It has quite crispy exterior and soft air pocket interior.
Versatile in every sense:
- It can be used as a bread, soup accompaniment, appetiser, a snack, for panini or sandwich.
- One can even knead the dough and slide in refrigerator for slow fermenting and next day pop the tray in oven for perfect focaccia. Great if planning ahead for a get together or easy breakfast preparation.
If I have to describe the dough, its actually pizza base dough. It is so similar to pizza , i sometimes think, probably someone might have kept the leftover pizza dough in refrigerator making sure to grease it with olive oil. Just to discover this bread next mornings bake. Who knows!!
Ideally made from Plain flour, the gluten in flour ferments and gives the airy pockets inside the bread.One can always use plain flour but i tried little healthier twist with wholewheat flour and must say it tastes as good and without any regrets of eating refined flour.
I made it extra healthier and prettier by adding array of vegetables and arranging so they are eaten with a joy. After baking they are as good and tasty as the bread.
Choice is yours..
- Make it with plain flour or with wholewheat.
- Add herbs with or without vegetables
- Olive oil is must!
: Recipe Card :
| Prep Time | 40 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 3 cup wholewheat flour coarse
- 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast or 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
- 4+2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- as needed salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cup warm water
- as needed herbs-sage/ oregano/rosemerry
- as needed vegetables- onion, olives, aspargus, baby tomatoes
Ingredients
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- In a mixing bowl, take warm water and dissolve the sugar. Check the water is still lukewarm and add yeast.Stir, cover and keep aside to bloom.
- After 5 minutes, the yeast has bubbles on surface and ready to use.
- Mix the flour, salt, black pepper, olive oil and yeast mixture. Knead it well for 5-7 minutes into soft smooth dough without adding any extra flour..Cover and keep aside to proof for at least 40 minutes. It should double in volume.
- Punch the bubbles and knead dough again for 1-2 minutes.
- Take a rectangular tray/tin or baking sheet. (around 9x13 inch).Grease the tray . Spread and press the dough to fit the tin. Using fingers, make dimples in the dough and later drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil.
- Arrange the herbs, vegetables on the bread.
- Cover and let the dough rise again for 15-20 minutes.
- preheat the oven at 180C for 10 minutes. Bake it for 20-25 minutes. Cool well before cutting the focaccia.
- One can knead the dough, arrange herbs and vegetables and keep the tray covered in refrigerator overnight. This way the olive oil flavour seeps in very well. Next day take the tray out of refrigerator for few minutes before baking.
- I have used coarse wholewheat flour. If coarse flour is not available, substitute 1/4 cup of flour with fine semolina.
- Vegetables are optional, one can make focaccia just with herbs.
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