Roasted Garlic and Olive Focaccia
One of my resolutions for the past few years was to make more homemade bread. I’ve experimented with several different traditional yeast breads. They were all really good, but the kneading part kind of turns me off, even though I do have a stand mixer. I had been wanting to try some no knead breads, but didn’t really know exactly where to turn, so I figured I would start with what they say is the easiest no knead bread of them all, focaccia.
Focaccia is a super simple bread to make. You really can’t mess it up. You mix the ingredients like biscuit dough and just walk away and let the yeast do it’s thing. Then pop it in the oven and you’ve got a beautiful loaf of easy no knead bread fresh from the oven. For this loaf of focaccia, I wanted to add lots of flavor, so I added roasted garlic, big ripe black olives, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper and lots of Italian herbs.
I used my favorite olives in this bread, Lindsay black California pitted olives. We use Lindsay olives in so many dishes, and I knew they would be a great addition to my focaccia. It was hard to keep my son’s hands away from the olives, he loves to snack on them so much. Olives are one of my family’s favorite snacks. and they make a great little afternoon snack. They fit perfectly into the healthy diet I am trying to maintain with my
family. That is so long as I can eat them in small portions.
Lindsay Olives is also committed to our efforts at a healthy lifestyle. Beginning today, March 1, Lindsay Olives will be launching 30 Tips for 30 Days to a Healthier You. They’ll be sharing one tip each day for the entire month of arch on their facebook page, to help inspire people to become their best selves.
Lindsay Olives is even giving away a $500 dollar Visa gift card. To be entered in the giveaway, simply head over to the Lindsay Olives facebook page here. Then like their page and leave a brief comment that Angie @EclecticRecipes (that’s me!) sent you over and post your best health tip. The tip can be as simple as Drink plenty of water.
So now back to our bread. I use parchment paper for this bread instead of added olive oil to cut down on the fat in the recipe.
After the dough had proofed, I added my halved olives and roasted garlic to the dough. I pushed them down in the dough just a bit.
Then I sprinkled on my sea salt and freshly cracked pepper along with lots of dried Italian herbs.
Then I brushed it with a little olive oil before baking it at 400° for 30 – 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
Once it comes out of the oven I let it rest for a few minutes before cutting into it.
It’s so hard to wait.
Yield: Serves 8
Roasted Garlic and Olive Focaccia
5.00 stars (2 reviews)
Loading...Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh Italian herbs (basil, oregano and rosemary)
3 1/2 cups flour
Topping:
sea salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh Italian herbs (basil, oregano and rosemary)
2 heads of garlic, roasted, cloves removed from skins
1 cup Lindsay Black California Ripe Pitted Olives, large olives, halved
additional olive oil
Directions:
Combine warm water and yeast in a cup. Mix until yeast is dissolved. Add sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and dried herbs. Mix until combined.
Add flour to a large bowl. Add flour and yeast mixture. Mix with a fork until all of the four is incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place until the dough doubles in size.
After the dough doubles, line a 9 x 13 sheet pan with parchment paper. Transfer the dough to the sheet pan and lightly press dough flat. It won't quite reach the corners of the pan, but don't worry, it will spread later.
Now cover the dough again with plastic wrap and leave in a warm area. Let the dough proof for another hour and a half to 2 hours. The dough is read when you push your finger in it and it's no longer springy.
While dough is proofing, roast garlic in the oven. Cut the top off of 2 heads of garlic, so that the very top of each clove is cut. Add a little salt and olive oil to the garlic and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast at 400° for 30 minutes, or until very fragrant.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add garlic cloves and halved olives. Press lightly into the dough. Sprinkle bread with herbs and sea salt and pepper. Brush with olive oil. Bake at 400° for 30 - 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
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This post sponsored by Lindsay Olives.
