Fresh Milled Focaccia
Golden, crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with flavor… this rustic, fresh-milled focaccia is bound to become a family favorite.
We have busy kids, a busy farm, and a busy life. If there are too many steps or too many bowls required, I’m probably going to keep looking for another recipe. And that is my inspiration behind this one. Minimal prep for maximum flavor? Sign me up. With a crispy outside and a soft, chewy inside, its texture and flavor are unmatched. There are endless focaccia variations, and I love to play around with them. Oftentimes, though, a simple oil and herb focaccia is what’s on my mind.
Fresh milled focaccia bread is one of the most versatile breads you can make, and I don’t think you can change my mind on that one. Sandwiches, appetizers, dinner bread, dipping bread…there are endless uses, variations, and toppings. That’s one of the reasons we love it!
If you’re new to bread baking
If you’re new to bread baking, fresh milled focaccia is the perfect recipe to start with. No shaping, no scoring, and no special equipment required. Some bread recipes can get very technical, almost more “science experiment” than baking, ha! Those definitely have their time and place, but sometimes you just feel like more of a dump-and-bake kind of gal. Trust me, I get it.
Focaccia flour choice:
I prefer to bake mostly with fresh milled flour. I buy whole wheat berries from Azure Standard in bulk, and I store them in food grade, 5 gallon buckets, also from Azure Standard. I made the switch to fresh-milled flour about 2 years ago, you can read more about that switch here. I mill my own flour fresh for each bake, for maximum nutrients. I like to use this harvest grain mill, it’s a real work horse in my kitchen.
Hydration is key
If you are familiar with using fresh milled & whole wheat flours, you know it’s a different ball game. Not all recipes are friendly with whole wheat options, and that is usually because when the bran is intact, the flour will absorb more liquid. You have to adjust your hydration to account for the varying types of flour. As a general rule of thumb, I increase my hydration quite a bit for fresh milled recipes, although there are exceptions. If you would like to swap that and use an all-purpose flour, I would recommend stepping down the liquid to 455 grams.
If you’re struggling with your fresh-milled baking, or feeling frustrated with dense loaves, check out my guide to fresh milled grains. Its 50+ pages of helpful tips, conversion charts and fun recipes!
Focaccia Toppings
This simple fresh sourdough milled focaccia bread can be topped with anything you can dream up. My personal favorites are olive oil and fresh herbs, or some fresh garlic and butter for a tangy garlic bread. I have done almost any variation, sweet or savory, and they turn out fantastic. It is such a versatile bread. But a few more favorites are:
- Tomatoes, oregano, olive oil
- Olives, red onions, sliced tomatoes
- Cheeses of any variety, alllll the cheese
Ingredients:
- 600g hard white wheat (fresh-milled)
- 500-520g + 1 tbs warm water (90–95°F / 32–35°C)
- 15g sea salt
- 20g olive oil (more for topping and pan)
- 2 ½ tsp (10g) active dry yeast
Instructions for first steps
- Mill your flour: I use hard white wheat berries for this recipe. You can experiment with other grains, just make sure its mostly a hard wheat to hold the gluten structure.
- Autolyse: Add the flour (600g) to the warm water (500g) in your stand mixer or mixing bowl. Mix on low for just a minute or two until it pulls together into a shaggy, wet dough. Cover and let the dough rest in the mixing bowl for 30 minutes. If mixing by hand, stir until shaggy, then cover and rest the same way. (This step helps the whole grain flour absorb water and develop gluten before kneading.)
- Activate yeast: To a small bowl, add the yeast and 1 tbs warm water. Stir and let it sit for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
- Add salt & oil: After the dough has rested, add the yeast, sprinkle in the salt and drizzle the olive oil over the dough. Turn the mixer back on low and knead until the salt and oil are fully incorporated, about 2–3 minutes.
- Knead for strength: Increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and can pass the windowpane test (When you can stretch a piece of dough to see light through, without it tearing. Pictured below.) This may take anywhere from 5–20 minutes. The dough will be soft and tacky, but not overly sticky.
Fermentation and final steps
- Bulk fermentation: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or container. Cover and let rise at room temperature until about doubled in size, 1–2 hours.
- Proof in the pan: Oil the inside of a 9×13″ rectangular baking dish generously, or use parchment paper. Gently scrape the dough into the pan and stretch it toward the edges without tearing. If it resists, let it rest for 10 minutes, then stretch again until it reaches the corners. Cover and let the dough rise until puffy, airy, and nearly doubled in height, about 1–2 hours depending on your room temperature.
- Preheat oven: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) with the rack positioned in the middle.
- Top & dimple: Once your oven is ready, drizzle 2–3 tbsp of olive oil over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, chopped herbs, or any toppings of your liking. Use your fingertips to press deep dimples every 1–2 inches across the dough, letting the olive oil pool in the indentations.
- Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake at 475°F (245°C) for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 425°F (220°C) and continue baking for 15–20 minutes, until the top and bottom are golden brown.
- Cool & enjoy: Let the focaccia cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. It’s fantastic warm from the oven and best enjoyed the same day.
Let’s try it a different way!
Would you rather use sourdough for your focaccia? Try the recipe here!
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Fresh Milled Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- 600 g hard white wheat fresh-milled
- 500-520 g +1 tbs warm water 90–95°F / 32–35°C
- 15 g sea salt
- 20 g olive oil more for topping and pan
- 10 g 10g active dry yeast 2 1/2 tsp
Instructions
- Mill your flour: I use hard white wheat berries for this recipe. You can experiment with other grains, just make sure its mostly a hard wheat to hold the gluten structure.
- Autolyse: Add the flour (600g) to the warm water (500g) in your stand mixer or mixing bowl. Mix on low for just a minute or two until it pulls together into a shaggy, wet dough. Cover and let the dough rest in the mixing bowl for 30 minutes. If mixing by hand, stir until shaggy, then cover and rest the same way. (This step helps the whole grain flour absorb water and develop gluten before kneading.)
- Activate yeast: To a small bowl, add the yeast (2 ½ tsp) and 1 tbs warm water. Stir and let it sit for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
- Combine ingredients: After the dough has rested, add the yeast mixture, sprinkle in the salt (15g) and drizzle the olive oil over the dough (20g). Turn the mixer back on low and knead until the salt and oil are fully incorporated, about 2–3 minutes.
- Knead for strength: Increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and can pass the windowpane test. This may take anywhere from 5–20 minutes. The dough will be soft and tacky, but not overly sticky.
- Bulk fermentation: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or container. Cover and let rise at room temperature until about doubled in size, 1–2 hours.
- Proof in the pan: Oil the inside of a 9×13″ rectangular baking dish generously, or use parchment paper. Gently scrape the dough into the pan and stretch it toward the edges without tearing. If it resists, let it rest for 10 minutes, then stretch again until it reaches the corners. Cover and let the dough rise until puffy, airy, and nearly doubled in height, about 1–2 hours depending on your room temperature.
- Preheat oven: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) with the rack positioned in the middle.
- Top & dimple: Once your oven is ready, drizzle 2–3 tbsp of olive oil over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, chopped herbs, or any toppings of your liking. Use your fingertips to press deep dimples every 1–2 inches across the dough, letting the olive oil pool in the indentations.
- Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake at 475°F (245°C) for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 425°F (220°C) and continue baking for 15–20 minutes, until the top and bottom are golden brown.
- Cool & enjoy: Let the focaccia cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. It’s fantastic warm from the oven and best enjoyed the same day.
Notes
- Tomatoes, oregano, olive oil
- Olives, red onions, sliced tomatoes
- Cheeses of any variety, alllll the cheese
Simple and delicious!