Focaccia is an Italian bread that is flat and relatively easy to make. It has a similar texture to pizza and often is used as a base for pizza. As an option it is sometimes topped with herbs like rosemary and drizzled with olive oil prior to baking. This version of focaccia is quite the opposite with the addition of oats, maple syrup and pecans.
I initially made this with all oat flour and let is set for about an hour and that wasn’t a success. What I did that yielded the best result was substituting half of the actual flour with instant oats. I soaked the oats in water for about five minutes the help break it down a little. In addition, I sweetened it with less than a quarter cup of maple agave blend.
One of the best things you can do to develop your dough is letting it rest in the fridge overnight and letting it sit out for about 2 hours the following day. Before baking it you will want to poke holes all over, top with pecans and drizzle with some olive oil.
The focaccia bakes in about 20 to 30 minutes but you will want to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. To prevent the bread from drying out, I placed a loaf pan filled with water in the oven. Finally, as a last minute touch, I brushed it with olive oil and honey once it was slightly cool.
Oat and Pecan Focaccia
Oat and Pecan Focaccia
- 1½-2 cups all purpose flour
- 1⅓ cup instant oats
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (100° -110°)
- 4-6 tbsp olive oil
- salt (dash)
- 4 tbsp maple agave blend or maple syrup
- ¼ cup pecans
For best results let the dough sit in the fridge overnight and allow to get to room temperature for about 2 hours the following day. Place the instant oats in a small bowl and add about a quarter cup of water and let it soak for about 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, add warm water (100° – 110°), yeast and give it a quick stir. Add in the flour, soaked oats, maple agave syrup, and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Using a wooden spoon, mix until fully combined and cover then place it in the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge the following day and allow to come to room temperature (still covered) for about 2 hours. You will notice it rising at this point.
Preheat oven to 435° once you're just about ready to bake. Drizzle some olive oil on a 9 x 13 baking pan and spread the dough covering all edges of the pan. Using your fingers, poke holes all over and place the pecans on top trying to push some through the dough.
Drizzle with the leftover olive oil and top with oat flakes if desired. Bake for about 20 – 30 minutes. Once complete, remove it and let it rest before slicing through.
