All things Italy are my favorite food. The flavors just get my mouth watering. And the aromas that fill the kitchen! Which is one reason foccacia is one of my favorite breads! It is easy to make and makes for a delicious lunch or supper addition. You could even use this bread as a base for making pizza! Why not? But it just as delicious just as it is alongside a bowl of Tuscan soup and a tossed salad.
This recipe is gluten-free but can easily be altered to a whole grain version for those of you who can handle gluten.
Just use white wheat flour (in place of the all-purpose gluten free flour) and whole wheat if you don’t want to use millet flour. I love using millet flour in baking–it is light in texture, plus it is high in fiber and protein. So I often use it in baking gluten-free breads.
CHEF’S NOTE: I prefer to use gluten-free flour that doesn’t contain any gums (xanthan gum or guar gum). I use psyllium husk instead. For a simpler bread, you could also omit the tomatoes and the pizza toppings.
Gluten Free Focaccia
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 packageof dry active yeast
- 2 tsp sugar for growing the yeast
- 2 T ground flaxseed meal + 6 tablespoons hot water
- 2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
- 3/4 cups millet flour
- 1 heaping T psyllium husk
- 1 T sugar
- 1 to 2 tsp salt or salt substitute
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 large Roma tomatoes sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 T fresh oregano minced
- 1 T fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, in a mug or small bowl, combine the water and 2 teaspoons of sugar; mix til sugar dissolves. Add the yeast and stir. Set aside for about 2 minutes until the yeast is frothy. In a separate box or small bowl, combine the flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of hot water. Stir and let sit until the mixture turns into a gel. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, psyllium husk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, garlic powder, dried oregano, thyme and dried basil. Mix well. Then add the flaxseed gel, lemon juice and the yeast mixture. Mix well.
- Transfer the batter to a baking sheet, lined with a sheet of parchment paper or silicone baking liner. Spread out the batter with a spatula (I dip it in water to make it easier to spread). Set the pan on the oven while it is preheating. Cover with another baking sheet and let it rise for about an hour.
- After rising, lightly brush the top of the bread with some water or vegetable broth. Press the tomato slices into the dough at various depths. Sprinkle garlic, coarse salt and fresh herbs over the top. Then bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove from oven. Then using th edges of the parchment paper, lift the bread off the pan and put it on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. Cut into squares or slices, then serve.
