Intimidated by how fancy focaccia looks (and sounds)?? Don’t be!
This is a delicious NO-KNEAD bread and this recipe shows you how to make it with 100% freshly milled wheat!
Feel free to do what you want when it comes to toppings. This is such a versatile bread AND it’s one you can serve while still hot!
Focaccia Bread
This focaccia bread isn't your typical focaccia, because it's made with 100% freshly milled wheat! Still soft in the middle with a light crunch for the crust. Easy no-knead bread for your dinner table!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water 105 - 115 degrees F
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 2 cups hard white wheat berries NOT 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of whole wheat berries!
- 1/2 cup soft white wheat berries NOT 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of whole wheat berries!
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 TB olive oil for the dough
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil for the pan
For the Topping
- 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
- 2 TB water
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary dried rosemary is fine too
- 1 tsp kosher or flaky salt to sprinkle the top
Instructions
- Combine warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp of honey/sugar and stir well. Allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes until foamy
- Combine 2 cups of hard white wheat berries and 1/2 cup soft white wheat berries and mill them all together. This will mill into around 4 cups of flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 3 3/4 cups of your flour mixture and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Stir.
- Add foamy yeast mixture to flour and salt and stir with wooden spoon or Danish dough hook until all combined. No dry flour remains. This will be a sticky dough.
- Add 1 TB olive oil to dough after it has formed and use your hands to work the olive oil into the dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- After dough has rested, use the stretch and fold method (seen in video). If dough is too sticky to handle, dip hands in water to prevent sticking and do four stretch and folds, turning the bowl after each stretch and fold. Cover with plastic wrap again and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
- Do 2-3 more stretch and folds, allowing dough to rest for 30 minutes after each time. With each stretch and fold, dough should be getting softer. (see video for details)
- After your last stretch and fold, add 1/4 cup of oil to a non-stick 9x13 baking pan (if you don't have a non-stick add about another 1-2 TB of olive oil and coat the sides of the pan).
- Add dough to 9x13 pan and turn to coat it in the olive oil. Gently stretch out dough to reach the edges of the pan. If dough is tearing or has difficulty stretching, cover up pan and allow dough to rest for about 15 minutes and try again.
- Once stretched out in the pan, cover and let it rise until doubled about 45-50 minutes.
- While dough is rising, mix up the topping. Combine 2 TB olive oil, 2 TB water, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp salt and stir until combined. Set aside until needed.
- When dough has risen, GENTLY use your fingers to create dimples in the dough. Do NOT punch all the way through otherwise dough will not be as light.
- Once enough dimples are added, stir up your topping if ingredients have settled and drizzle all over the top of the dough. Sprinkle your rosemary and kosher salt on top.
- Bake in preheated 450 degree F oven for 22-25 minutes (I find 22 minutes is good for me), until slightly golden brown
- Remove from oven when done and immediately transfer to a cooling rack. Otherwise bottom of bread can get soggy from steam.
- Let rest for 10 minutes, but good news - this is a bread you can slice up hot! Slice up and ENJOY!
Notes
This bread has so many options when it comes to the toppings. Feel free to omit rosemary and use another herb, add more salt, add sliced tomatoes or olives, the sky is the limit!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Just made it and absolutely delicious! Crusty on the outside and soft inside. Thank you for the recipe.
Can you tell me where you bought your bamboo bread crumb collecting cutting board in the video for this bread?? Thanks
It was given to me as a gift! I found it on Amazon though and here it is: https://amzn.to/3m0RBAf I do love it!
Hi Felicia! Thank you for your recipe! I used this recipe to use as a whole grain pizza crust, it was fabulous! Keep up the great work!
I’ve been meaning to try that myself! Glad to know it turned out great!
LOVE this recipe, thank you!!! Where can I get a good Danish dough hook? There seem to be so many to choose from.
I just got mine from Amazon. Find one with good reviews!
I just made this bread and my wife and I love it. Everything worked just as your video showed. I can’t believe it came out so good on the first try.
Great recipe Felicia! Do you think this recipe would work as an artisan dough? With the final rise in the banneton, baking in the dutch oven? I’m thinking about trying it out. Thanks!
I have no idea, but try it and see! 🙂
Can this kind of bread be frozen for storage?
Yep! Wrap it up tightly and it should keep for a few months.
I’ve made this once and now have one rising in the pan. It was vary good! I made the topping with the first rise so the garlic would really infuse the oil. I only had white and red hard wheat berries but still turned out delicious. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
I wanted to make this today but just ran out of my soft white wheat berries. Do you think I could use spelt instead? Or use all hard white wheat? Love your recipes and excited to try this one out!
Yes I do think spelt or hard white will work just fine.
I’m trying this for the first time. My dough isn’t getting softer during each 30min wait between stretch and fold. It’s tearing, not stretching. How can I fix that?
If it’s tearing that means the gluten structure hasn’t formed yet. You have possibly either added too much flour or you may need to let it rest longer.
I have been struggling with my sourdough and decided to give your yeast focaccia a try. This was just as you described and I followed your recipe exactly. Thanks for the win! We will make this again!