Rosemary and Cabernet Salt Focaccia #BreadBakers

Rosemary and Cabernet Salt top this yeast-free, lightning fast, whole wheat focaccia. A touch of sourdough starter adds a delicate tang as well.

As insane as the last third of the school year tends to be - filled with plays, trips and the inevitable report cards - one thing remains constant: people have to eat! Along with the hearty, soothing braises and soups I've been cooking up these days, bread always has a place on our table. Nothing is more comforting to a household filled mostly with carboholics, especially when it's homemade!

Of course, because our schedules are so packed (not to mention wonky) these days, making "traditional" yeasted loaves has taken a backseat. Instead, I've whipped up a few "quick" style loaves (think Irish Soda) and this focaccia, which shares a similar set of basic ingredients and method to this Floral Grape and Lemon Focaccia, albeit savoury. As this was going to be more of a "side dish" bread rather than a sweet loaf, I turned to some of my favourite flavour-packed pantry items: home dried rosemary from last year's garden, a bottle of basil-infused extra virgin olive oil that I was given at Christmas, and a sprinkle of my vibrant Cabernet Salt. Together with a hint of my sourdough starter's tang, the crusty flatbread was perfect for slicing into fingers and dipping into herbed oil as a starter or sopping up the last dregs of soup!

What do you make / eat when life gets crazy?

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com

• Casatiello by A Shaggy Dough Story
• Ciabatta Sandwich Rolls by Herbivore Cucina
• Classic Italian Bread by Hostess At Heart
• Cornetti by Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Einkorn Parmesan Piadina by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Fingermillet and Rosemary Focaccia by Sizzling Tastebuds
• Focaccia Caprese by Sneha's Recipe
• Grissini by Sara's Tasty Buds
• Gubana - An Italian Sweet Bread by The Schizo Chef
• Il Pane di Matera by Food Lust People Love
• Italian BLT Focaccia by A Salad For All Seasons
• Italian Easter Bread by Palatable Pastime
• Italian Easter Cheese Bread by A Baker's House
• Italian Herb and Garlic Focaccia by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Italian Stuffed Pane Bianco by Cook's Hideout
• Mini Panettone by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Pane Bianco by Veenas Vegnation
• Pane di Genzano by Spiceroots
• Piadina by Passion Kneaded
• Pizza alla Siciliana by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Rosemary and Cabernet Salt Focaccia by What Smells So Good?
• Torta Salata Pasquale by A day in the Life on the Farm

Rosemary and Cabernet Salt Focaccia
Makes 1 small focaccia, 8 pieces 
1/2 cup 100% hydration sourdough starter
1/4 - 1/3 cup warm water
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp olive oil (I used a basil-infused one)
1/2 tsp Cabernet Salt (or coarse sea salt)
1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1. Place a baking stone (I used a lightly oiled 11½" x 7¾" stone "bar pan") on the middle or bottom rack of the oven and heat to 425F.
2. Stir together starter and 1/4 cup water until smooth.
3. Add the flour and baking powder, stirring until it forms a loose ball of dough. Add water if dough is too stiff.
4. Remove stone from oven and scrape dough onto it.
5. Drizzle with oil and spread dough with your fingers to 1/2" thick (it does not have to be perfectly even - just not holey).
6. Sprinkle with salt and rosemary.
7. Bake 25 minutes, until golden and crisp on the bottom.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 73.5
Total Fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 70.9 mg
Total Carbs: 13.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 2.6 g