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Whole Wheat and Khorasan Focaccia

A whole wheat and khorasan focaccia made with a high hydration dough for a light, open crumb and incredible wholegrain flavour. Slow-fermented over 3 days for depth of flavour and ultimate airiness, it bakes golden with crisp edges. You can substitute the khorasan flour for spelt or einkorn, and if you don't have a mill, no problem! Just use the best wholegrain flour you can get your hands on. This is a wholesome twist on a classic focaccia inspired by Nicola Lamb’s 3-Day Focaccia method.
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Prep Time 3 days
Cook Time 25 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Poolish
  • 110 g whole wheat flour
  • 120 g water
  • pinch of dried yeast
Focaccia Dough
  • 250 g whole wheat flour, sifted to remove the bran
  • 300 g khorasan wheat flour, unsifted you can substitute for spelt or einkorn
  • 400 g water (1)
  • 50 g water (2)
  • 1/2 tsp dried yeast
  • 13 g salt
  • 150 g olive oil
  • flaky sea salt to finish

Method
 

  1. If you are milling your flour fresh, mill 380g whole wheat flour. You are going to save 110g for the poolish, and then sift the rest of the whole wheat flour to get 250g. You can use the leftover bran in muffins or breakfast cereal.
    Also, go ahead and mill your 300g of khorasan, spelt or einkorn grain, and leave it unsifted. Set aside the khorasan and sifted whole wheat to use tomorrow.
Day 1: Poolish
  1. Preferably in the evening, mix the unsifted whole wheat flour, water and pinch of dried yeast together in a large bowl (this bowl you will use to mix the dough in tomorrow). Allow to sit, covered, at room temperature overnight.
Day 2: Mixing the Dough
  1. In the bowl of the poolish, add the flours, water (1) and yeast and mix until a rough dough forms. Cover, and rest for 45 minutes to autolyse.
  2. Add the salt and water (2) to the bowl, and mix using your hand until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the dough and lightly oil your hands while you're at it, then fold the dough 4-6 times by stretching its sides onto itself, rotating the bowl as you do so. Cover and rest for 45 minutes.
  4. Add a couple more tablespoons of olive oil, and fold again. Cover and rest for 45 minutes. This is your second fold.
  5. Again, add a couple more tablespoons of olive oil, and fold again. Cover and rest for 45 minutes. This is your third fold.
  6. Finally, do you fourth and final fold, checking how the gluten has developed as you do so. If it feels strong and you can make a windowpane from stretching a piece of dough, then you're ready to put it to rest for the night. If not, then rest another 30 minutes and do one more fold. Transfer the dough to an large oiled bowl or container (the dough will grow more!), and let it rest overnight in the fridge.
Day 3: Proofing and Baking
  1. The next day, transfer your dough onto a well oiled quarter-sheet tray. Gently push out the dough to help it relax evenly. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and leave to rest for 1 to 1.5 hours.
  2. Oil your hands, and dimple the top of the dough, while pushing it into the edges of the tray and evening out the surface. Allow to rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 230℃/475℉. If you're dough is jiggly and air bubbles are forming, then its ready to bake. If not, let it continue proofing for another 15-30 minutes. Oil your hands, and dimple deep into the dough. Drizzle on just a little more olive oil, and scatter with lots of flaky sea salt.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 220℃/425℉, rotate the focaccia, and bake for another 10 minutes.
  5. Remove from the sheet tray while still hot, to avoid it sticking, and allow to cool.

Notes

This recipe was inspired by Nicola Lamb’s 3-Day Focaccia. I’ve adapted the method for fresh-milled flour, increasing the hydration and adjusting the process to accommodate for whole-grain's tendency to ferment faster, and also to highlight the flavour and structure of whole grains. If you love the original, you’ll enjoy this whole-grain variation just as much.