NO-KNEAD OLIVE FOCCACIA, light wholemeal, Vegan, frugal, sugar-free

This light, airy focaccia bread is almost as easy to put together as soda breads...

first posted 2018; updated 5/23

Easy-peasy Olive Focaccia and Onion Focaccia.  No kneading!
'Very nice flavour and texture.' 'Like the olive one best.'Taster

updated May 2023

Focaccia Bread - golden crusted and pillowy - is gorgeous, whether eaten in rainy England or on an Italian street corner.  Despite being made with yeast, it has a flat (-ish) shape with a characteristic dimpled crust that's usually strewn with herbs or onions, olives and even grapes.  

Focaccia in England is irresistible despite the price but is not exactly healthy.  It's made entirely of white flour (not great for blood sugar) and often has an excess of olive oil and salt.  

67 created a healthier budget-friendly recipe* for home cooks.  A little wholemeal flour is added for fibre and the amount of oil and salt is controlled.  

If you're new to bread making, don't worry.  Anyone who can mix things with a spoon, and knows how to fold, can handle this. I daresay some older children will try it and master it quickly.  And it really is worth it.

The wholemeal flour alters the texture from ultra-fluffy to something more robust.  But it's still tender soft and light, and it still tastes fantastic, especially when it's not long out of the oven.  Leftovers will make great sandwiches and toast.  

Like popular soda breads, focaccia doesn't require any kneading - focaccia's overnight 'resting' does all the work.

Some planning is required; the dough needs to be refrigerated preferably 24 hours. But during that time you're free to roam until you're ready to take it out of the fridge.  An hour's rest is necessary to come to room temperature before the dough can be shaped.  After that, there's a further hour in front of a warm oven before baking.

The bread freezes well and toasts beautifully.

Cost: £2.00 (May '23)
Makes: 8 decent portions or 12 quarter sandwiches

Ingredients:
   350gm/12.3oz plain white strong bread flour
     50gm/1.7oz wholemeal flour
   1 tbsp fast acting yeast

   1 tsp sea salt

   250ml + 2 tbsp lukewarm water 
   2 tbsp good olive oil

handful or two of olives OR thinly sliced onions sprayed with olive oil

Method:

1. Place flours & yeast in a large bowl; stir with a hand-held whisk till well combined
2. Place salt on one side of the flour
3. Add water and olive oil; bring together with a wooden spoon (it'll be sticky) 
4. Cover with cling film; refrigerate at least 24 hours; when ready the dough will be double in size and bubbly
5. Take dough out of fridge one hour before shaping it 
6. Generously spray a 9inch/25cm square pan or springform pan with olive oil and line bottom with greaseproof paper; spray again
7. Scrape dough onto the pan, pushing it to the edges
8. Pull a corner of the dough upwards and fold - without pressing down - into the centre (like an envelope); repeat until all four corners are done  
9. Turn the dough over and repeat instruction 8
10. Lightly press down on the dough with fingers to form the characteristic 'dimples';  brush with 1 tbsp olive oil; scatter over a generous 1 teaspoon (min) or 2 tsp (max) sea salt then olives or sliced onions 
11. Cover with cling film that's been lightly brushed with olive oil (to prevent sticking)
12. Turn on oven to 175c/350f/gas4; rest dough a short distance away 30 mins
13. Turn oven up to 220c/425f/gas7; rest another 30mins or until double in size.
14. Bake in centre of oven 30 mins until golden brown, turning tray round half through for even baking; rest in tin 10 mins before transferring to a cooling rack

*adapted from BBC Good Food

Comments:
'Very nice flavour and moist texture. I would never have guessed it was lower-fat and lower salt.  I want to try making it myself.' Semi-retired senior administrator' 
'The bread is moist and full bodied. The olive one is best!' Political Agent

Tips:

• 67 made two focaccia from this recipe: 1 9x3 inch/23x8cm rectangle with olives and 1x7inch/18cm circle with onions 
• for a white focaccia, replace wholemeal flour with white
• try this with spelt flour

               More bread: NavBar Recipes II/Free from Common Wheat  (bottom page)

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.