No-Knead Semi-Whole Wheat Focaccia
Some of you might already know this recipe, as it is one of the ‘historic recipes’ of the blog. Now I’ve decided to update it, as recently, after many years of using almost exclusively sourdough, I’ve become curious about using yeast again.
Sometimes I’m so busy that I have little patience for the long rises that sourdough necessarily requires. And sometimes I’m even a bit forgetful (yes, time passes! 🤭), so much so that I forget that the sourdough starter needs to be refreshed from time to time (oops! 😅). (But luckily my starter is amazing and can withstand my forgetfulness!).
So… I bought two cubes of yeast that are now waiting for me, and in the coming days I will make this no-knead semi-whole wheat focaccia again, which was one of my staples 9 years ago.
It’s a focaccia that doesn’t require much work, actually none, and even with minimal rising time (just a couple of hours), it turns out soft and suitable for various uses:
🔸 It’s great plain, to eat as a bread substitute at meals
🔹 And it’s great stuffed, so it’s suitable to take with you for lunch at the office or to put in the kids’ backpack for school snack
🔸 And it can be used as pizza dough (in this case, though without the drizzle).
It’s a light focaccia because it’s not very oily, and it’s without added salt. By now you know this is how I cook (but… yes, yes, you can add salt if you want, but don’t overdo it!). 😊
Below are some ideas for decorating or filling this no-knead semi-whole wheat focaccia. Try them all! 👇
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1.5 cups water
- Half cube fresh yeast
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2.4 tbsp water
- 2.4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- rosemary (to taste)
Tools
- Oven Sfornatutto
- Baking Tray 10×12 inches
Steps
Dissolve the yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar.
Pour the flours into a bowl.
Add the water with yeast to the flour and mix with a wooden spoon (not your hands, i.e., without kneading) until you get a homogeneous mixture.
Grease the surface of the dough (a tablespoon of oil) and cover the bowl, or place it in the microwave (turned off) as I usually do when I need to let dough rise.
Wait 10-15 minutes, then line a baking tray with parchment paper (I used a small rectangular tray about 10×12 inches) and spread the dough with oiled hands.
Let rise for 25-30 minutes.
Prepare the drizzle by mixing water and oil.
After about 30 minutes, pour the drizzle over the focaccia, spreading it with your fingertips and pressing the dough surface to form small hollows where the drizzle will settle.
👉 In the tools list, I have indicated a tray with high edges. If you have a tray with low edges, to prevent the drizzle from spilling over the edges, I suggest this simple trick: place strips of parchment paper around the focaccia, which will act as borders. Like this:
Wait another half hour or so, then distribute the rosemary, bake at 338°F and cook for half an hour, give or take a minute, until the surface is golden.
And here is my no-knead semi-whole wheat focaccia, freshly baked and cut while still warm:
We filled it with cheese, ham, and salad.
And how will you eat yours?
Salt-Free Tips
If you’re new to my blog and don’t know, I cook without added salt. If you’re interested in learning more, I’ve shared everything in the article Cooking Without Salt, My Journey which I invite you to read.
Meanwhile, here are my low-sodium tips in a nutshell:
If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
■ Gradually decrease salt, as the palate must slowly get used to it without noticing the reduction.
■ Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
■ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
■ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
■ Use spicy vegetables or fruits. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
■ Use my salt-free vegetable granules and gomasio
■ Prefer fresh foods.
■ Avoid cooking in water and prefer methods that don’t dilute flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave)
■ Avoid bringing a salt shaker to the table!
■ Sometimes allow yourself a break from the rule. It boosts your mood and helps you stay on track.
If you don’t want or can’t give up salt:
■ You can still try my recipes by salting them according to your habits.
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