As Easter approaches, Amanda Dettrick’s recipe for a no-knead focaccia garden seems fitting for Spring (well… Autumn for Australians). With the promise of fragrant herbs, vibrant vegetables, and golden, olive oil-infused bread, this recipe beckons home cooks to embrace the spirit of the season with open arms and eager palates.
In preparation, a Wiltshire Enamel Oblong Baking Dish 2.5L (25cm x 32cm) or a Wiltshire 1L/30cm Enamel Bake Tray stands ready, a sturdy vessel awaiting the colourful tapestry of ingredients. Whether crafted for a festive brunch centrepiece or a rustic afternoon, this garden-inspired focaccia is the homemade comfort promising to deliver at the living room table.
So, gather your freshest produce, your most aromatic herbs, and your trustiest baking tools.
Makes/Serves: 8-10
Prep/cook time: Active Cooking/DecoratingTime – 40mins, Dough Rest Time – 15hrs
Ingredients:
Focaccia
- 540g (4 cups) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt + more for baking
- 2 tsps (8g) instant yeast
- 450g (2 cups) lukewarm water (1/2 cup boiling water + 1 1/2 cups cold water)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Possible Focaccia Garden Decorations
- Spanish onions
- French shallots
- Spring onions
- Capsicum
- Fresh herbs
- Capers/Caperberries
- Cherry tomatoes
- Olives
- Asparagus
- Seeds
- Rocket/Baby Spinach
Time To Create
- In a large bowl combine flour, salt and yeast and whisk to combine. Add the water in a slow stream while mixing with a rubber spatula until a sticky dough ball forms.
- Pour 2 tbsp olive oil over the dough ball and rub it all over the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl with cling film or a fabric bowl cover and transfer to the fridge for a least 12 hours (the dough can rest in the fridge for up to 48 hours but will need cling wrap if leaving it for that long)
- Pour 2 tbsp olive oil into a Wiltshire Enamel Oblong Baking Dish 2.5L (25cm x 32cm) OR a Wiltshire 1L/30cm Enamel Bake Tray and set aside.
- Pour a little olive oil into your hands and rub them to coat, then release the dough in the bowl by scooping the sides into the middle with one hand turning the bowl a little each time until the dough has pulled away from the edge. Lift a 1/4 of the dough with one oiled hand and fold it back on top of the dough then turn the bowl a quarter turn and fold again repeating until all sides of the dough has been folded and it has formed a rough ball.
- Transfer the dough to the oiled baking dish and toss to coat in the oil then leave the dough to rise, uncovered on the kitchen bench for 3 hours.Let’s Make Stuff
- Preheat oven to 210°C and place an oven rack in the middle position.
- Oil your hands and using your fingertips, press down into the dough to create dimples. While dimpling the dough, press the dough into any corners where it didn’t rise.
- Use a combination of herbs and vegetables to create a garden scene on your focaccia. Gently press the toppings into the dough and brush the entire surface with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and bake for 25-30 minutes until the focaccia base is golden. Transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving warm.
