Whole Wheat Focaccia: Black Olive and Garlic Focaccia Bread: Italian Bread

Life without bread would be so boring. How would you eat your pasta with no garlic bread on side? How would you make sandwiches? What would you serve soups with? All you need is bread to complete your meal.

Lately I have been in the baking sphere. I made Garlic Rolls a few days back and then Herbs Garlic Focaccia two weeks later. Focaccia is one such bread that every novice and beginner baker must try. No bread making can get simpler than this. It is rustic, it is soft and it can be paired with anything-dips, chutneys, lasagna, and pasta or just as it is.

Olive oil is a must when making focaccia and NO there is no substitute for olive oil. A good aromatic olive oil will bring out the best focaccia bread.  Focaccia is an Italian bread and there are hundreds variations for the recipe but the basic bread or dough recipe remains the same. You can change the toppings as per your taste and mood ;-). You can have tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, caramelized onions, nuts and even fruits as toppings.

For a healthier twist I crafted Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread with Garlic and Olives. Garlic, olives, some herbs all sitting on the top of rustic bread is something so enticing and inviting; plus is it guilt free-bonus! If you want to learn and know more about yeast and its process click here. Once you master the art of yeast then baking bread is very easy peasy.

Whole Wheat Garlic Olive Focaccia can be served with basically anything. My favourite way is to dip it in with some olive oil. If you fancy a focaccia sandwich, slit the bread in between and stuff in pesto sauce and some vegetables-grill and enjoy.

Author: Shweta Agrawal

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon rapid dry yeast

2 pinch sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon mixed dry herbs

4 cloves garlic roughly chopped

5 olives roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional but recommended)

1. Method:
2. Heat water in microwave for 20 seconds. Dip the finger and check water, it should we warm. Mix sugar and yeast in water. Stir and keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes when you see bubbles on yeast mixture, add flour, salt and 1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs. Mix and knead the dough.
4. Mix 1/4 cup of oil in the dough. Keep kneading the dough till it is soft and springy.
5. Grease one large bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. Put the dough in the bowl. Cover it with cling film and keep aside in warm surface for 45 minutes.
6. After 45 minutes the dough should have risen, beat the air out and knead the dough again. Flatten the dough on a grease pan in to any shape (I shaped in round in pizza pan). The thickness should be like a normal crust of pizza. Cover the dough with wet towel and keep in a warm place for 20 minutes.
7. After 20 minutes, poke holes (dimples) on the dough. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. Till then preheat your oven at 190C.
8. Arrange chopped garlic and olives on focaccia evenly.
9. Prepare the oil. Mix black pepper and remaining dry herbs. Keep aside.
10. Pour this oil mixture on dimples of the dough. Spread the oil mixture evenly without punching the air. Sprinkle the sea salt.
11. Bake for 15-18 minutes. The bread should be golden brown on top.
12. Let the bread cool down before you cut and serve.

Notes:

You can make it even without garlic. Or use whole olives. I used canned black olives.

Keep your dough in a warm place. I always keep it in the oven. A friend of mine who lives in the hills covers the bowl with a blanket and keep it dark place-for her this trick works.
You have to use a good quality olive oil for a nice texture. I recommend Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Use active rapid dry yeast or also called as instant yeast. I used Allinson Easy Bake Yeast.

Mixed Italian herbs are easily available in any store. It is blend of oregano, thyme, rosemary and basil. I used McCormick Italian Seasoning. You can use any particular herb as well. Rosemary is the most popular one.

Cover the bread with cling film and store it a room temperature. It will be good for 2-3 days.

Serving suggestions:

Serve with burnt garlic pasta, pasta in red wine sauce, simple basic pasta.

Pair as side with tomatoes chutney, chilli hummus or roasted fennel cherry tomatoes.

Serve with roasted garlic soup, roasted butternut squash soup or indian garlic lentil soup.

Garlic Rolls: Garlic Bread: Side for Pasta, Soups and Dips

If you like garlic bread then these garlic rolls will blow you mind and tastebuds-for sure! Taste like garlic bread but looks prettier and tastes even better. Garlic Rolls is my another attempt in baking bread at home and the result was just great.

In simple words this is Garlic Pull Apart Bread, like rolls (pav) and is made using yeast. To have a nice soft bread texture you need to have good quality yeast and proof it properly. I used Allison rapid yeast and I like it because it doesn’t smell weird. To work with yeast you need something sweet like sugar or honey and warm water. Hot water will kill the yeast and cold water will not activate the yeast. If like me, you don’t have a fancy thermometer to measure the right degree of water, here is the test you can do. Dip your finger in hot water and you should be able to tolerate the heat, anything more or less will not work-just warm is what you are looking for. Next add in yeast and sugar, stir and keep aside for 10 minutes. If you see bubbles and forth in the yeast mixture you are good to go, else try again.

Looking for more bread recipes? Check these out:

Potatoes Stuffed Buns

Red Wine Walnut Bread

Whole Wheat Buns

Garlic Herbs Focaccia

You can enjoy this garlic bread just like that or serve as side with pastas, soups or dips. 

Ingredients: 

For dough:

Plain Flour - 1 and 1/2 cups 

Water- 1/2 cup

Yeast - 1/2 tablespoon

Salt - 1 teaspoon

Sugar - 1 tablespoon

Olive Oil - 2 tablespoon
Milk- 1 tablespoon
Sesame seeds- 1 teaspoon

For Garlic Butter:

Salted butter, at room temperature - 5 tablespoons

Minced garlic - 4 cloves

Chopped coriander leaves - 3 teaspoons

Method:
Heat water in microwave for 25 seconds. Mix yeast and sugar in the water. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Yeast should become frothy.

Mix flour, olive oil and salt. Knead the dough for good 5 minutes. The dough should not be sticky but should be soft.

Keep the dough covered at a warm place for at-least 45 minutes.

Next mix together all the ingredients for the garlic spread and keep it separately.

After 45 minutes take the dough and divide in 2 parts as shown in the pic

Dust the platform with flour and then flat one of the ball and spread the garlic spread on it

Then slowly roll the flat bread in the shape of the log

Take a rectangle baking pan. Grease it with oil.

Cut the log into 2 inch rounds. Place rounds in the baking pan.

Repeat the same with remaining dough.

Preheat the oven 180C for 10 minutes. Till then keep the baking pan in a warm place and let it rise for 10 minutes.

Brush milk on the rolls. Sprinkle sesame seeds.

Bake it till 20-30 minutes on 180C till golden in colour.

Serve hot or cold.

Notes:- 

Keep your dough in a warm place. I always keep it in the oven. A friend of mine who lives in hills cover the bowl with blanket and keep it dark place-for her this trick works.
You have to use a good quality olive oil for a nice texture. I recommend Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Use active rapid yeast or also called as instant yeast. I used Allinson Easy Bake Yeast.

The amount of water depends on the type of flour you are using. Look for a slightly sticky dough that behaves when you apply oil.
Cover the bread with cling film and store it a room temperature. It will be good for 2-3 days.

Serving suggestions:

Serve with burnt garlic pasta, pasta in red wine sauce, simple basic pasta.

Pair as side with tomatoes chutney, chilli hummus or roasted fennel cherry tomatoes.

Serve with roasted garlic soup, roasted butternut squash soup or indian garlic lentil soup.

Great snack for picnics and parties.