Parmesan and Black Pepper Whole-Wheat Focaccia

Name: Parmesan and Black Pepper Whole-Wheat Focaccia
Yield: Makes one 10-by-15-inch focaccia (Enough for 8 sandwiches or 12 pieces for the dinner table)
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon active dry yeast, or 0.2 ounce (5 grams) fresh cake yeast; 2 cups (280 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour; ½ cup (50 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese; Big handful of medium-coarse yellow cornmeal for the baking sheet; 1 cup (200 grams) olive oil; 2 cups (450 grams) water, at body temperature (when you put your finger in it, it should feel neither cold nor hot); 2 tablespoons sugar; 3 cups (492 grams) whole-wheat flour; 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper; 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Preparation info

Makes
one
10-by-15 inch focaccia

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Flour

By Joanne Chang

Published 2010

About

Customers clamored for a whole-wheat version of our focaccia and it tooks months of testing before we were happy with the result. Whole-wheat flour adds a nutty flavor to breads, but it can also make the bread dense and heavy. We introduced some all-purpose flour into the mix to lighten it up and that was the magic ticket.

Ingredients

2 cups (450 grams) water, at body temperature (when you put your finger in it, it should feel neither cold nor hot)
1 teaspoon

Bread
Vegetarian

Method

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the water and yeast and let sit for 20 to 30 seconds to allow the yeast to dissolve and activate. Dump the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the sugar onto the water and carefully turn the mix