The Secret Weapon Against Store-Bought Bread: Savory Chickpea and Roasted Red Pepper Focaccia

 
Impress your loved ones with this mouth-watering focaccia made with roasted red peppers and chickpeas, and say goodbye to store-bought bread for good. Floury focaccia, bursting with flavor from roasted peppers, chickpeas, and a hint of lemon—that’s what you get in this recipe. The chickpeas provide protein and fiber, and it tastes great too. So, it’s a better choice than regular bread.

Here are the steps:

To proof the yeast, mix together warm milk, sugar, yeast, and water in a big basin. Until the mixture starts to foam and bubble, which should take around 5 to 10 minutes, set it aside. Doing so awakens the yeast, which is essential for perfectly rising focaccia.

To make the dough, combine the yeast mixture with around 560g of flour, ⅔ cup of vegetable oil, and a pinch of salt. Mix until a crumbly dough is formed. Add the rest of the flour little by little until a soft dough forms and pulls away from bowl edges.

After dusting a surface with flour, transfer the dough and knead it for 10 minutes, or until it becomes elastic and smooth. An alternative would be to use a dough hook attachment on a stand mixer.

First Rise: In a big basin that has been lightly greased, put the dough. Place it in a warm spot and cover it with plastic wrap or a moist towel. Allow it to rise for one to two hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) while the dough is rising. Then, roast the vegetables. On a baking sheet, distribute the red bell pepper bits that you just chopped. Season with salt and pepper, then roast in a drizzle of olive oil for 20-25 minutes, or until softened and gently browned.