Focaccia, Whole Wheat

Photo

www.weeklyveganmenu.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

2 c water

2 T dry herbs

2 t salt

4 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c olive oil

Bread Machine Method:

Place the ingredients in the bread machine in the order given except the olive oil. Turn machine on and set to the Dough Cycle. If you do not have a dough cycle, turn off the machine after it kneads the dough and let it sit in the machine for one hour.

Mixer Method:

Place the ingredients in the bowl in the order given except the olive oil. Knead for 20 minutes. Put dough into a glass bowl, cover with a plastic wrap, put in the oven (oven should be OFF), and let rise for one hour.

The dough will be very sticky. After the dough has risen, empty it onto a well oiled (2 T olive oil) baking sheet (about 11X16). Oil your fingers and spread the dough to the edges . With your finger tips press the dough all over. Do not be careful, you must indent the dough very well, even making holes in the dough. Once the dough rises again, the holes will be filled in, but it will still have the indentations. Pour the olive oil over the dough as evenly as possible. (I used only 2 T of olive oil here, but focaccia is is supposed to have lots of olive oil in it.)

Cover the dough with the plastic wrap again and return to the cold oven. Let rise for another 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, preheat the oven to 450. After the oven has preheated, remove the plastic wrap, sprinkle some coarse salt over the dough and bake for around 20 minutes or until the dough is golden and crispy. After it is done, let cool in the pan for a few minutes and remove to a cooling rack so it can stay crisp.