No knead garlic and herb focaccia

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20 serves

25 m

30 m

If you’ve never baked bread before, this is the perfect recipe to start with. There’s no messy kneading required, and you can prove the dough at room temperature or in the fridge overnight - whatever fits into your schedule. Either way, the result is a light and tasty bread the whole family will love. Before you begin, check out our tips for handy hints and guaranteed success.

Ingredients

2 cups (300 g) wholemeal plain flour
2 cups (300 g) plain flour
2 teaspoons instant dried yeast
3 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning blend
2 cups (500 ml) lukewarm water
⅓ cup olive oil + extra
1 tablespoon semolina
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
¼ cup (35 g) pimento stuffed green olives, sliced

Method

Step 1

Combine flours in a large bowl. Stir in yeast and Tuscan seasoning. Make a well in centre. Stir in water to form a soft, sticky dough. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon oil and rub over dough, turning it to coat. Cover bowl and rest in a warm spot (see tip) for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge, until doubled in size.

Step 2

Brush base and sides of a 22 cm x 32 cm (about 5 cm deep) baking pan with a little extra olive oil. Sprinkle semolina over base and shake pan to coat evenly.

Step 3

Uncover dough. Drizzle extra olive oil over the palm of your hand. Using oiled hand, stretch and fold the dough over itself about 6 times, rotating the bowl with your other hand.

Step 4

Transfer dough to prepared pan and gently pat into a rectangular shape. Cover with a clean damp tea towel and set aside in a warm spot for 2 hours or until dough expands to fill the pan and has doubled in size.

Step 5

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ¼ cup olive oil with garlic and fresh herbs in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat. Heat for about 3 minutes or until herbs and garlic are gently sizzling, but not browned. Cool.

Step 6

Spoon garlic and herb oil over dough. Sprinkle with olives, then dimple dough all over with your fingertips.

Step 7

Bake in a 200 °C oven for 25-30 minutes, until focaccia is golden and sounds hollow when tapped with fingertips. Remove from oven. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen edges and slide focaccia onto a board. Cut into slices with a large, serrated knife. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

Use only lukewarm water as hot water will kill the yeast.
You’ll need about 1 tablespoon of extra olive oil to oil the baking pan and your hand before stretching and folding the dough.
Dough will prove more quickly in a warm spot, like a sunny benchtop. If placed in a cooler place, allow extra time as it will prove more slowly. It can also be proved overnight in the fridge. Next day, remove dough from fridge and proceed with steps 3-6.
Dusting the pan with semolina forms a crust and allows bread to be easily removed from pan. It can be replaced with polenta, if preferred.
Use any combination of Mediterranean herbs e.g., rosemary, thyme, oregano or basil or parsley.
Replace green olives with sliced Kalamata olives, if preferred.
This bread freezes well. Seal in freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or wrap in foil and warm in the oven. It’s also great toasted in an air fryer.