Whole Wheat Garlic Focaccia Recipe- Sharmis Passions

Whole Wheat Garlic Focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread with garlic flavor. Focaccia is a delicious Italian flat bread baked in the oven and comes out soft inside with light crisp on top. This bread is tasty and goes well with the dip, soup or can be enjoyed plain also. It is one of those breads which you can bake easily at home without much effort.

Garlic flavor along with oregano and chili flakes makes this focaccia more special. The smell while it bakes is so good and fills the whole kitchen. This bread is good for breakfast, evening snack or even for dinner along with a warm bowl of soup. It tastes good even plain when still warm from oven.

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About Focaccia Bread

Focaccia is Italian style bread baked flat and usually flavored with olive oil, garlic and herbs. The dough is made with yeast so it rises well and gives airy texture. The dents pressed by fingers before baking helps the garlic spread and oil to sit inside. This makes the top very flavorful.

The bread is soft and chewy inside and slightly crisp outside. It has rich aroma from garlic and herbs. Butter and olive oil gives a nice golden top and also keeps the bread soft. You can add simple toppings like onions, olives or cheese too.

There are many ways to make focaccia. Some people use only maida which gives softer bread, some use whole wheat flour which is little dense but healthier. You can also mix both flours and get best of both. The topping can be changed too. Garlic version is very popular but you can also try cheese or even vegetable toppings.

I bake focaccia mostly on weekends when I have time to let the dough rise. It is a nice change from regular food. My family enjoys this with soup or just as slices with butter spread.

Focaccia Bread Ingredients

• Whole wheat flour – I have used wheat flour here as it makes the bread little more healthy. If you want the bread to be very soft then go for maida, or sometimes I mix half wheat and half maida which also works well.
• Instant yeast – Yeast is what makes the dough rise and gives those tiny airy holes inside the bread. Without it the bread will not come out soft.
• Sugar – Just one spoon of sugar is enough. It helps yeast to get active quick and also balances the taste. Don’t worry, the bread won’t taste sweet.
• Luke warm water – Always use water that is warm, not too hot and not too cold. Warm water makes yeast work better.
• Olive oil – Olive oil gives nice flavor and keeps the bread soft. If you don’t have olive oil you can use butter also, but taste will be slightly different.
• Butter – I melted butter and mixed with garlic for spreading on top. It gives golden shine and rich taste.
• Garlic, oregano, chilli flakes and herbs – Garlic is the main flavor here. Oregano gives that nice Italian flavor and chili flakes add little spice and color too. You can also add some fresh herbs or even coriander leaves.

Why This Recipe Works

• This recipe is very simple and you don’t need much baking experience to try it.
• The dough rises well and makes bread soft and little chewy every time.
• The herbs and butter make it flavorful and tasty to eat.
• It’s easily customizable, you can also add cheese or veggies on top.
• It goes well with the soup, spread or even eaten plain as a snack.

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How to make Whole Wheat Garlic Focaccia Step by Step

1.In a mixing bowl, take flour, sugar, salt, olive oil and yeast – Mix well first. Then add luke warm water.

2.Knead it well to a smooth slightly sticky dough. Set aside undisturbed for atleast 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size. Punch down and knead it once again.

3.Chop garlic finely. In a bowl take melted butter ,olive oil along with oregano ,chilli flakes, garlic, coriander leaves and required salt. Mix well and set aside.

4.Preheat oven at 220 deg C for 10 minutes. Take the dough in the pan you are going to bake, sprinkle little flour. Roll it to ¼ inch thickness. Spread the garlic butter mixture over it and spread it evenly on all sides. The dough will become little loose after adding butter and oil.

5.Make dents with your fingers and bake in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until you see a golden top. Cool completely, then slice and serve.

Serve  warm with soup!

Expert Tips

• Yeast – I used instant yeast here because it is easy to handle. If you are using dry yeast then soak and activate before adding.
• Kneading dough – The dough should be little sticky and soft. If it becomes stiff like chapathi dough then the bread will turn hard after baking.
• Flour mix – Many times I use half wheat and half maida, this way the bread is soft but still a bit healthy.
• Garlic topping – Garlic turns crisp when baked fully. If you like it soft and chewy then add garlic pieces in last 10 minutes of baking.
• Cheese option – You can sprinkle little grated cheese on top before baking. It gives nice rich taste and kids usually love it more.
• Cooling bread – Always allow bread to cool before cutting. If you slice when it is hot the pieces may break and not look neat.

Serving and Storage

Serve focaccia bread with hot soup or along with a dip. It is also good plain with tea or coffee in evening. Leftover bread can be stored in airtight box for a day at room temperature. For longer, keep in fridge and reheat before serving so it stays soft.

FAQS

1.Can I use only maida?

Yes, fully maida will give soft texture, or you can mix half maida half wheat also.

2.Can I make it without yeast?

No, yeast is important for rising and for the bread texture.

3.Can I make it ahead?

Yes you can bake and keep, reheat slightly before serving.

4.Can I add in cheese?

Yes, add some cheese on top for cheesy twist.

5.Why is my focaccia is hard?

If dough is stiff or if over baked, bread will turn hard. Dough should be sticky and baking only till golden is enough.

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