Whole Wheat Focaccia is a nutritious bread made with whole wheat flour and spelt flour and baked to a golden crisp with a soft, airy interior. This Italian bread has a nutty, earthy flavor from the whole wheat bread flour. The garlic-rosemary pesto made with fragrant fresh rosemary leaves, savory garlic, and extra virgin olive oil is brushed generously on the bread. It is a kind of bread that invites you to savor each moment whether you enjoy it on its own, with soup, salad, or any main course. The warmth of the focaccia enhances the herbal garlicky goodness of the pesto, making each bite simple yet full of depth!
My first, and therefore, the best focaccia encounter was in a small Ligurian town called Recco. It was a long time ago, although every Italian town or city has its variation, including the Genovese ones which are extremely popular. I found out later that the city was famous for its focaccia con il formaggio or cheese focaccia. I still remember that fresh out-of-the-oven texture and flavor.
Traditionally, focaccia is made with bread or all-purpose flour. Since my cooking involves farm-to-table ingredients and whole grains, I wanted to create this focaccia using whole wheat flour. My family and I are steering away from refined flour and sugars, considering the long-term health benefits of consuming whole grains. I love the texture, flavor, and ease of preparing this Whole Wheat Focaccia. I wanted to share this delectable recipe with you and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
What is focaccia?
Focaccia gets its name from the Roman “panis focacius” meaning “hearth bread”. It is pronounced as ‘foh-kaat-chah’. It was made in the hearth using coals and hence the name. The humble focaccia has ancient roots. It can be traced to the millennia-old Etruscan civilization, although the root of focaccia is the Latin term ‘focus’ meaning ‘hearth, a place for baking’. As Roman culture expanded, so did the variations of the focaccia that were made either sweet or savory. Nonetheless, it is quintessentially an Italian dish.
Over the years, I have experimented and have tried to create my focaccia bread. While it does not contain the stracchino or crescenza cheese from my Ligurian memories, my Whole Wheat Focaccia is made using the Genoese technique with a flavorful twist. I added my homemade rosemary pesto with garlic and topped it with store-bought green olives. This is an easy recipe to make, and you will get it right every time. You could make a whole batch in advance and have them as a snack or as hors d’oeuvres for dinner parties.
How is focaccia different from pizza?
Focaccia is similar to the pizza dough, but the difference is that the former connotes less topping and more bread and the converse is true for the pizza. Whole Wheat Focaccia can be served at room temperature while pizza is eaten hot. However, the essential difference is that the focaccia is flattened and left to rise, while the pizza dough is baked immediately. It is often considered a precursor to pizza.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Can I make this Whole Wheat Focaccia without pesto?
You can omit the pesto and use sea salt, olives, or sundried tomatoes as toppings.
2. How can I make the focaccia extra crispy on the outside?
Add an extra drizzle of olive oil on top of the focaccia dough and bake it at a slightly higher temperature of 400 degrees F for the last 4-5 minutes of baking.
3. What is the best way to reheat the Whole Wheat Focaccia without drying it out?
The best way to reheat it is to wrap it in foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes or until warmed. Microwaving with a lid is the easiest and quickest option.
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Ingredients:
- Flour: whole wheat bread flour, spelt flour (or use golden whole wheat flour instead), and golden whole wheat flour
- Pesto: rosemary leaves (or use basil leaves), pumpkin seeds (or use sunflower seeds), garlic, and pine nuts (or use walnuts or hazelnuts)
- Toppings: green olives (you can also use sundried tomatoes, cheese, some rosemary leaves, cherry tomatoes, or dried herbs)
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make this dish. Please refer to the recipe card below for the measurements.
How to make the Whole Wheat Focaccia:
- Sift the three types of flour with the salt. Place the flour in a stand mixer, add the yeast, and attach the dough hook. Gradually, add warm water mixed with honey to the flour and turn on the stand mixer. Stop adding water once the dough comes together. Add olive oil and knead the dough for at least 2-3 minutes. Drizzle a few drips of olive oil on top and cover it with a damp kitchen towel.
2. Place the bowl in a warm corner and allow the dough to prove by doubling in size for 15-20 minutes.
3. Prepare the garlic-rosemary pesto by grinding the ingredients in a spice grinder to a slightly coarse mixture. Keep it aside.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a 12″ x 9″ baking tray greased with olive oil. Use your hands to stretch the dough to fit the tray’s size. Using your fingertips, make holes down to the bottom of the tray.
5. Spread the prepared garlic-rosemary pesto on the focaccia. Garnish with sliced olives. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
6. Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Using a pizza cutter, cut the Whole Wheat Focaccia into 12 squares. Sprinkle some kosher salt and serve with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.
Tips:
- To allow the dough to prove, I placed the bowl in a preheated oven (heated to nearly 100 degrees F and turned off). The oven must not be too hot but warm enough to allow the dough to rise but not bake.
- Knead the dough for at least 3-4 minutes. Add the olive oil after making the dough with warm water.
Serving suggestion:
This Whole Wheat Focaccia is so versatile that it can be served with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette or a variety of dishes.
- Serve it with a hearty Minestrone Soup.
- Enjoy it with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers.
- It pairs well with Spinach and Feta Salad or Roasted Beet and Fennel Salad.
Storage:
Whole Wheat Focaccia topped with garlic-rosemary pesto can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 3 months in airtight boxes. The garlic-rosemary pesto can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for a week.
Other bread recipes that you might like:
Whole Wheat Focaccia
Equipment
- stand mixer, oven
Ingredients
For the Whole Wheat Focaccia:
- 2 cup golden whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat bread flour
- ½ cup spelt flour
- 1¼ cup warm water
- 2½ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- ½ tsp honey
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
For the garlic-rosemary pesto:
- 3 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seed
- 2 tbsp pine nut
- 3 sprig rosemary leaf
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tbsp green olive sliced, garnish
Instructions
How to make the Whole Wheat Focaccia dough:
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Sift the three types of flour with the salt. Place the flour in a stand mixer, add the yeast, and attach the dough hook. Gradually, add warm water mixed with honey to the flour and turn on the stand mixer. Stop adding water once the dough comes together. Add olive oil and knead the dough for at least 2-3 minutes. Drizzle a few drips of olive oil on top and cover it with a damp kitchen towel.
- Place the bowl in a warm corner and allow the dough to prove by doubling in size for 15-20 minutes.
- Prepare the garlic-rosemary pesto by grinding the ingredients in a spice grinder to a slightly coarse mixture. Keep it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a 12"x 9" baking tray greased with olive oil. Use your hands to stretch the dough to fit the tray's size. Using your fingertips, make holes down to the bottom of the tray.
- Spread the prepared garlic-rosemary pesto on the focaccia. Garnish with sliced olives. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Using a pizza cutter, cut the Whole Wheat Focaccia into 12 squares. Sprinkle some kosher salt and serve with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.
Notes
- To allow the dough to prove, I placed the bowl in a preheated oven (heated to nearly 100 degrees F and switched off). The oven must not be too hot but warm enough to allow the dough to rise but not bake.
Nutrition
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