This wild garlic focaccia is one of the easiest breads you can make! It requires minimum effort to prepare, but will deliver maximum of flavours. Spongy, fluffy bread topped with wild garlic, black pepper and olive oil, perfect for sharing with family and friends!
Last week, I posted the recipe for this wild garlic and asparagus risotto. This week, I will continue the wild garlic theme, with this wild garlic and black pepper focaccia. I have been a fan of this delicious and easy-to-make bread for a long time!
You may remember my recipe for red grape and rosemary focaccia from a while back. The best thing about focaccia is that anyone can make it, regardless of your experience as a baker or bread maker. It does not require any fancy equipment or ingredients, just few simple steps and a bit of patience.
Ingredients
The ingredients for this focaccia are very simple, and you probably have most of them in your kitchen already!
- Strong white bread flour.
- Yeast.
- Sea salt.
- Wild garlic.
- Black pepper.
- Olive oil.
- Fine semolina.
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the dough in a bowl of a standing mixer, or by hand. If making it by hand, tip the flour onto the clean, kneading surface and mix it with sea salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast and tepid water mixture (one part of boiling water to two parts of cold water). Start kneading the dough until smooth and it all comes together. It will take about 10 minutes. Set it aside in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with kitchen towel or cling film until doubled in size (about an hour).
Step 2: While your dough is rising, prepare the wild garlic and black pepper spread. Tear the wild garlic leaves into smaller pieces and bash them together with black pepper and olive oil. Save few whole wild garlic leaves to stuff the dough with later.
Step 3: Prepare your baking tin. Mine was 22cm x 32cm. Drizzle it with a little olive oil and sprinkle some semolina or fine breadcrumbs. That will add nice crunch to the bottom of the focaccia. Using your hands, stretch the dough inside of the baking tin so it covers all of it.
Step 4: Using your hands, spread the wild garlic, black pepper and olive oil mixture on the dough surface. If you have any wild garlic leaves left, roll them gently and stick inside the focaccia dough. Using your fingertips, press the dough gently, creating small dents. Sprinkle with some sea salt, cover again with kitchen towel and allow it to prove for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220C (fan), and bake the focaccia for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Storage
Enjoy this wild garlic focaccia while it's fresh, straight from the oven. It tastes best on the same day, but can also be re-heated in the oven the next day (set the oven for 170°C and bake for about 5-8 minutes).
Serve it at any family or friends gathering, with some olive oil and balsamic on side.
To pin this recipe and save it for later, use the button on the recipe card or on the photos above.
If you try this recipe, or any other recipe on Anna Banana, please take a moment to rate the recipe and/ or leave me a comment. I love hearing from you, but it also helps other readers who are thinking of making the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Wild garlic and black pepper focaccia
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 2 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
- 300 ml tepid water
- 7 g dried fast action yeast (or 14 g fresh yeast)
- 40 g wild garlic
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon semolina or fine breadcrumbs
Instructions
- In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix together the flour and sea salt. In a small jug mix together water with yeast, and gradually, while having the mixer on low speed, start adding the yeast mixture to the flour. Continue to mix on low speed for about 5-6 minutes until the smooth dough will form. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with warm kitchen towel or cling film and set aside for an hour or until double in size.
- Set aside few whole leaves of wild garlic, then roughly chop the remaining wild garlic and transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the black peppercorns and olive oil and bash it all together. You can use mortar and pestle for this step, or just bash it using rolling pin.
- When the dough is ready, prepare your baking tin (I've used 22 cm 32 cm) by lightly oiling it, then sprinkle the semolina or fine breadcrumbs over it. Using your hands, stretch the dough into rectangle inside of the tin. Spread bashed wild garlic and olive mix on top of the dough, sprinkle with sea salt. Roll the remaining wild garlic leaves and push them into the dough. Using the tips of your fingers, press the dough gently into the tin. Cover again with the kitchen towel or cling film and allow to prove for another hour.
- Heat the oven to 220C (fan). Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!
Please note that all my recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. I recommend that you use digital scales for a more accurate results. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Megane
This focaccia is to die for! I feel so clever making it. It was so much better than shop bought.
Anna
Thank you Megane, really happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe!
CLaire
Wow!
I never knew I could bake this well. This was delicious.
We served it with some roasted vegetable pasta and everyone love it!
Anna
Great to hear that you and your family enjoyed this recipe, thank you!
sophie
I just wanted to reach out and let you know how much I loved your recipe for wild garlic and black pepper focaccia. The combination of flavors was absolutely amazing - the garlic added a lovely earthy flavor, while the black pepper gave the bread a nice kick.
Anna
Hi Sophie, I'm over the moon to hear that! Thanks for this positive feedback and the review!
Tristin
This focaccia was amazing with wild garlic I found at the farmers market! Perfect with homemade tomato soup.
Anna
Thanks for letting me know Tristin, really glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
Vanessa
Every year my neighbours bring me some foraged wild garlic and I'm using this recipe again this year. Yummy! So tasty and looks so professional 😋
Jacqueline Debono
I pick wild garlic this time of year in the woods and fields near my house (in Italy) so am always looking for new ways to use it! This is a beautiful focaccia recipe. The dough was perfect and the topping divine!
Anna
I'm so happy to hear that Jacqui! And very jealous to know you have wild garlic growing at your doorstep!
Enriqueta E Lemoine
This is one of the best focaccias I've ever tried. The crumb is a masterpiece. Not to mention the toppings. Thank you for a great recipe.
Anna
So happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe Enriqueta, many thanks for the positive feedback!
Jacquelyn Hastert
I bet this dish is simply amazing! I have added it to my list of must make recipes.
annabanana
Thanks for your comment Jacquelyn, I hope you will try this focaccia some time soon!
Gina
Wow girl this is beautiful! It is definitely a reminder of Spring. What can I eat this with? Does it pair well with pasta? Or could I eat it for breakfast with some cream cheese like a bagel? I'm pretty sure it's good on it's own!
annabanana
Hi Gina, focaccia pairs really well with almost anything, it's a great side dish for soups, pastas, salads, or perfectly fine to eat on its own too! Hope you will try it some time!