Semi-whole Wheat No-Knead Focaccia
Some of you may already know this recipe; it’s one of the ‘historic recipes’ of the blog. I’ve decided to update it since lately, after many years of exclusive use of sourdough, I’ve been curious to revisit baker’s yeast.
Sometimes I’m so busy that I lack the patience for the long fermentation times that sourdough necessarily requires. And sometimes I’m a bit forgetful (yes, the years go by! 🤭), 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 baker’s yeast that are now waiting for me, and in the coming days, I’ll remake this semi-whole wheat no-knead focaccia that, 9 years ago, was one of my go-to recipes.
It’s a focaccia that doesn’t require much work, actually none at all, and even with minimal rising (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, making it suitable to take with you for lunch at the office, or to put in the kids’ backpack for school recess
🔸 it can also be used as pizza dough (but without the drizzle in this case).
It’s a light focaccia because it’s not very oily, and it’s without added salt. You know by now, that’s how I cook (but… yes, yes, if you want, you can add the salt, but don’t overdo it eh!). 😄
Below are some ideas for decorating or filling this semi-whole wheat no-knead focaccia. Try them all! 👇
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- 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 baker's yeast
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- rosemary (to taste)
Tools
- Oven Sfornatutto
- Baking Sheet 10×12 inches
Steps
Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar.
Pour the flours into a bowl.
Combine the water with yeast to the flours and mix with a wooden spoon (not with your hands, meaning without kneading) until you get a homogeneous mixture.
Grease the surface of the dough (one tablespoon of oil) and cover the bowl, or put 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, distributing it with your fingertips and pressing the surface of the dough to form small dimples where the drizzle will settle.
👉 In the tools list, I 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 using this simple trick: insert strips of parchment paper around the focaccia to act as edges. Like this:
Wait another half hour or so, then distribute the rosemary, bake at 340°F and cook for half an hour, give or take, until the surface is golden.
And here’s my semi-whole wheat no-knead focaccia, freshly baked and sliced while still warm:
We stuffed it with cheese, ham, and lettuce.
And how will you eat yours?
Salt-Free Tips
If you’re new to my blog, I cook without added salt. If you’d like to learn more, I’ve explained everything in the article Cooking Without Salt: My Journey, which I invite you to read.
In the meantime, here are my low-sodium tips in a nutshell:
If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
■ Gradually reduce the salt, the palate must slowly get used to it and not notice the progressive reduction.
■ Use spices. Chili pepper, 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
■ Prefer fresh foods.
■ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grilling, en papillote, steaming, microwaving)
■ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
■ Occasionally treat yourself to a rule-breaking indulgence. It’s good for the mood and helps in perseverance.
If you don’t want or can’t give up salt:
■ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.
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