Garden Herb Focaccia with Freshly Ground Flour
This garden herb focaccia with freshly ground flour is everything you want in homemade bread: light and airy, perfectly chewy, and made with 100% fresh milled whole grains.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 320kcal
Equipment
- 12-inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 500 g freshly milled whole wheat flour hard white wheat (about 4 cups, spooned)
- 425 g warm water around 100°F
- 7 g active dry yeast 2¼ teaspoons, one packet
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 10 g sea salt 2 teaspoons
- 6 tablespoons olive oil divided
Toppings:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- flaky salt
Instructions
- Whisk the water, yeast, and honey in a large bowl and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes, until it looks foamy on top. This wakes up the active dry yeast. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to a shaggy dough with no dry spots. Cover and rest 25 minutes.
- Add the salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Wet one hand and do a round of stretch-and-folds: grab an edge, pull up, fold to the center, rotate the bowl, and repeat 8 to 10 times. The dough will be very wet and sticky. That is correct.
- Cover. Over the next 90 minutes, do 3 more fold sets spaced about 30 minutes apart. After the last fold, let it rise until nearly doubled and pillowy, about 30 to 60 more minutes. Also note, the dough will be sticky to work with at first, but by the last stretch and fold, it should be smooth!
- Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil into the skillet and swirl to coat the sides. Scrape the dough in, turn once to oil the top, and gently stretch it toward the edges. Cover and proof 30 to 45 minutes, until puffy.
- Heat the oven to 450°F. Oil your fingertips and dimple the dough all over, pressing down to the pan. Nestle in the tomatoes and herbs then drizzle with the last 1 tablespoon oil, and finish with flaky salt.
- Bake 22 to 28 minutes*, until deep golden with a crisp bottom (lift an edge with a spatula to check). Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then move to a rack so the bottom stays crackly.
Notes
- The dough will be sticky at first, and by the last stretch and fold, it should be smooth and perfect.
- The rise times will vary depending on the temperature of your house. It's best to watch the dough and adjust the time based on how it's rising rather than just setting the timer and forgetting about it.
- To make-ahead: After step 2, refrigerate the covered dough overnight (up to 24 hours) instead of same-day folds. Cold fermentation deepens the flavor and makes whole wheat easier to handle. Bring to room temp about 1 hour before panning.
- In step 4, if the dough springs back on you while trying to stretch it to the edges, let it rest for 10 minutes, then finish stretching.
- *I cook this for exactly 25 minutes. All ovens are different, so I suggest beginning to check it around 22 minutes.
- Serve your focaccia bread with a dish of dipping oil with balsamic vinegar and dried Italian herbs for a fun and fancy appetizer.