Rosemarywhole Wheat Focaccia with Garlic
Submitted by deb1
Whole wheat focaccia flavored with rosemary, honey, and olive oil, topped with garlic butter, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan. A rustic Italian flatbread with a heartier grain backbone.
YIELD
2 loavesPREP
1 hrsCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsA heartier spin on traditional Italian focaccia that swaps some of the bread flour for whole-wheat for deeper, nuttier flavor and more substantial texture. Rosemary gets kneaded right into the dough along with honey and olive oil, so every bite carries the herbal-sweet-savory trifecta from crumb to crust.
The topping is where this gets interesting. Hot garlic butter brushed over the stretched rounds before baking infuses each dimple with rich aromatics, then sun-dried tomatoes scattered on top add concentrated sweetness. A snow of parmesan goes on for the final finish.
Baking in a black steel pizza pan on the lower rack of a 425°F (220°C) oven is what gives you the crisp bottom crust. Black steel absorbs heat faster than aluminum or stone, searing the underside while the top stays tender and pillowy.
Cut into wedges and serve warm alongside a big salad, or pair with soup for a proper Italian dinner. Makes two 12-inch loaves.
Pro Tips
- Start with the wettest dough you can handle. Focaccia wants a very sticky, almost soupy dough. Adding too much flour during kneading gives you dense, dry bread.
- Dimple the dough hard with your fingertips. Those deep divots catch the garlic butter and keep the top from rising smooth (which would defeat the entire focaccia aesthetic).
- Use a black steel pan if possible, as the recipe specifies. A regular aluminum pan works but you won’t get the same crisp bottom.
- Let the baked focaccia rest 5 minutes before cutting. This lets steam escape and keeps the crumb from turning gummy.
Variations
- Swap sun-dried tomatoes for pitted kalamata olives and fresh oregano for a Greek-leaning version.
- Add caramelized onions alongside the sun-dried tomatoes for deeper savory sweetness.
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top right before baking for a salt-bread style finish.
Ingredients
Directions
In processor fitted with metal blade, mix Basic Sponge with water, salt, honey, olive oil and rosemary until smooth. Combine flours and add to sponge mixture, ¼ cup at a time, pulsing several times to incorporate each addition. Then process dough until supple, elastic and stick- ing slightly to work bowl, about 1 minute, adding more water or flour by teaspoon, if dough is either too dry or too wet. Dough should be very sticky, almost wet.
Transfer dough to large plastic bag, squeeze out all air and seal tightly on top to allow room for dough to expand. Set bag in bowl and let dough rise in warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour. Can be refrigerated overnight once punched down.
Oil round pizza pans, preferably black steel. Sprinkle with corn meal. Divide dough in half. Gently stretch each into about 12-inch diameter round. Transfer to pans. Dimple dough with fingers.
Heat butter with garlic until melted. Brush over surface of each focaccia, dividing evenly. Scatter sun-dried tomatoes on top. Season to taste with salt and crushed hot red pepper. If baking 1 focaccia at a time, refrigerate unbaked loaf until after first is baked.
Bake on lower rack of 425-degree oven until lightly browned on edge, about 18 to 20 minutes. Cut into wedges. Serve warm.
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