Dill Focaccia Bread
Dill Seed is not just for pickles. It’s a complex and aromatic spice, a fusion of anise and caraway, with a lofty aroma. It's why we paired it with a robust focaccia. Rich and chewy focaccia gets a bad rap for being heavy, but a well-made focaccia can be surprisingly light and playful.
Make sure you create the signature dimples in the top of your focaccia. They help this thick bread cook evenly by uniformly releasing the carbon dioxide created by the yeast that makes the dough rise. Don’t sink your fingers all the way down to the very bottom of the bread; the objective is to vent the bread from the top, not tear it at the bottom, which can cause the bottom to steam. And wet your fingers before creating the dimples. We used olive oil here, but you can also use water. This is to prevent the holes in the bread from sealing back up. It’s a bonus that the dimples create little wells that can hold delicious olive oil as the bread bakes. Dimples in place, in no time we had a dill-studded focaccia that is easy to make and difficult to stay away from.
Serve this bread cut into any size square or wedge you prefer. Of course you can slice big squares of focaccia in half for a super-fancy sandwich. You could also include it sliced or cubed as part of a charcuterie board, or with an array of cheese and some honey-butter. If you have any left after a day or two, cut the focaccia into small squares and brown in the oven for the best croutons you’ve ever had in your life. Enjoy!
*PREP TIME FOR THIS BREAD INCLUDES 9 HOURS FOR THE BREAD TO SIT AND RISE TWICE.
- 1 envelope active dry yeast (¼ oz) (2 1/2 tsp)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
- 5 cups all-purpose (AP) flour
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Dill Seed
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons Dill Weed, divided
- 6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
- 2 finely minced garlic cloves
1. In a medium-size bowl, combine yeast, honey, and water. Whisk to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes for yeast to activate.
2. Add flour, salt, dill seed, and dill weed to the yeast mixture and stir until the flour is fully incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, add 5 Tablespoons of olive oil, then add the dough and turn with your hands until oil covers the dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and no more than 24 hours.
4. Liberally butter a 13x9 inch baking pan and transfer the dough to the baking pan. Add the remaining olive oil to the dough. Turn the dough to deflate it, gently stretching and pushing it into the edges and corners of your pan. Allow the dough to rest, uncovered, in a warm spot for 2 to 3 hours or until it has almost doubled in size.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
6. When the dough is ready for the oven, rub some olive oil on your fingers and sink them repeatedly into the dough, across the entire surface of the bread. This will create a series of 1-inch deep dimples that will help vent the bread and ensure even cooking.
7. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown.
8. While bread is baking, heat butter in a small saucepan and briefly sauté garlic, but do not brown. Add dill weed and remove from the heat.
9. Brush bread with dill-garlic butter and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
