Lemon Garlic Herb No Knead Focaccia
Carrying all the lightness plucked from the Easter celebrations, I’m heading into the week with renewed energy and enthusiasm. There’s nothing like a quick break to refresh the mind and body. I did a quick flow just a while ago and now I feel wide awake. If you get the chance to move your body today, take it and remember how we are so blessed to be able to move.
As a result, I was craving carbs right after and decided to whip up a batch of easy Lemon Garlic Herb No Knead Focaccia. This might sound counterintuitive to some (you just worked out, Car) but this is what my body craves. By no means will I deprive it from yummy Italian carby goodness. As the saying goes, “everything in moderation” and even the fittest people I know enjoy a slice of cake every now and then. I’ve reached that age where I no longer beat myself up for eating delicious food, for the most part. I am human after all. So just grab the piece of bread and enjoy! No one is going to judge. At least I won’t.
This Lemon Garlic Herb No Knead Focaccia has a lovely crisp crust with a soft airy interior, heady with the aroma of olive oil. I love making focaccia because of how simple it is and how fun it is to dimple the dough with my hands. The process is uncomplicated. In fact, you barely have to do anything. Even kneading isn’t necessary.
The more you dive into Italian cuisine, the more you will realize that every ingredient serves its purpose and is used essentially for its flavor. Focaccia is dappled with olive oil to let that good flavor seep through the whole bread. This being said, make sure to choose a good quality olive oil. I suggest you keep a bottle of good balsamic vinegar as well for dipping. On other lazy days, I eat this with a slather of goat cheese and a drizzle of honey (so good!). I require you to try it one time.
Just A Few Tips
- If you don’t have bread flour on had, substitute with the same amount of all purpose flour. Subsequently, it won’t have the exact same structure and chew but it will still taste great and be slightly softer.
- Use a mix of herbs that you have on hand and chop it roughly. Fresh is best here but dried herbs will work in a pinch.
- Play around with the toppings and sprinkle them on top. Focaccia is very versatile and you can make a myriad of versions. Some favorites are:
Caramelized Onions, Cheese and Tomato
Tomatoes with Basil Pesto
Heirloom Tomatoes with Olives
Mozzarella and Rosemary
Fig, Brie and Caramelized Onions
- Plan ahead. This involves an overnight rise so make the dough the day before you plan to eat it. I do not suggest extending the rise time since you might end up with over proofed dough.
- To store the focaccia, place in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Likewise, the focaccia can also be frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, just pop the slices straight into a toaster.
Lemon Garlic Herb No Knead Focaccia
Ingredients
- 500 g (4 cups) strong bread flour*
- 12 g (2 tsp) caster sugar
- 12 g (2 tsp) salt
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast*
- 450 mL (1¾ + ⅛ cup) cold water
- 24 mL (2 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
Lemon Garlic Herb Topping
- 48 mL (4 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic ,minced/crushed
- 2 tbsp mixed herbs* ,roughly chopped
- 1 lemon ,sliced thinly
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Make a well at the center and pour in the cold water, using a wooden spoon or your hands to mix the dough together. When there are no pockets of flour, add in ⅔ of the olive oil and mix. Drizzle the rest of the oil and stir until a cohesive dough has formed. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in the fridge for 12-24 hours to rise.
- The next day, line a 9×13" pan with parchment paper and remove the dough from the fridge. Deflate the dough by grabbing the outer corners and folding them in. Transfer to the prepared pan and gently stretch the dough to the edges. Cover the pan and leave to double in size, about 2-3 hours. The dough will be bubbly and very wobbly.
- While waiting for the dough to rise, combine the olive oil with the crushed garlic to infuse, prepare your herbs and slice the lemon.
- Preheat oven to 220°C. Drizzle the garlic oil over the surface of the dough and sprinkle the chopped herbs. With your fingers, dimple the dough all over and top with lemon slices and flaked sea salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Towards the end of the baking time, the pan can be placed on the highest rack to brown the crust even further. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
[…] citrus in all its springy, tangy glory. Like in this perfect crunchy calamansi glaze or in this herby lemon focaccia. Somehow, eating something citrusy always puts me in a good mood as if the sun just shines a little […]