Five-grain focaccia with figs and lard

Name: Five-grain focaccia with figs and lard
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Wheat flour 1.67 cups; Rye flour 1 cup; Oat flour 1.1 cups; Barley flour 0.8 cup; Buckwheat flour 0.8 cup; Fresh brewer's yeast 0.4 oz; Water lukewarm 1 ½ cup; Salt 1.7 tsp; Sugar 1 tsp; Extra virgin olive oil 3.7 tbsp; Colonnata lard 3.5 oz; Figs 6; Chestnut honey 2 spoonfuls; Rosemary to taste; Coarse salt to taste

it de es fr br

Lactose Free

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Makes: 8 pieces
Cost: Average
Note + the rising time (2 h 30 min.)

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Sebastian Fitarau

Five-grain focaccia kinda brings you the rustic vibe of Tuscany with a twist of modern, creative flavor. Honestly, this isn’t your usual bread—here you get a mix of five different grains, so every bite is a little more interesting and tender than your typical loaf. Really good stuff. The outside gets crispy and golden thanks to the special blend of flours, while the inside stays soft and kinda chewy. And you know what makes this fig focaccia really really special? The way fresh figs blend with salty, melt-in-your-mouth Colonnata lardo—a famous cured fat from the Tuscan mountains. For real, when the lardo hits the warm bread, it turns almost silky, just melting into every crevice.

Folks in Tuscany often drizzle on some chestnut honey and sprinkle coarse salt on top, giving you that sweet and salty thing that keeps you reaching for more. Super tasty. It’s a pretty sfiziosa e stuzzicante combination—tasty and intriguing, kind of perfect for sharing around the table with friends or as a snack before dinner.

Throughout Italy, regional twists pop up all the time—sometimes people swap in spelt or wholemeal flour, or lay on different cured meats instead of just lardo. But there’s something classic about the original lardo focaccia from Tuscany. Look, the figs bring a soft, sweet bite that balances the richness of the lardo, and the honey takes it all up a notch. You’ll notice the toppings aren’t just thrown on—they’re arranged so the figs let out a little juice in the heat, soaking into the bread just enough to make it extra moist. Which is great.

The five-grain focaccia works well as a fancy appetizer or something you toss on a board for a casual aperitif, matching with cheese, nuts, or even a glass of red wine. Can't go wrong. It’s easy to see why this kind of artisan focaccia recipe has a special place in Tuscan kitchens—it is all about mixing the old with the new and inviting everyone to try something a bit different. Whether you stick to tradition or try your own twist, this bread brings a bit of Tuscany to any get-together. Seriously good.

INGREDIENTS

For the dough (for a 12x16 inch tray): Wheat flour 1.67 cups (200 g); Rye flour 1 cup (100 g); Oat flour 1.1 cups (100 g); Barley flour 0.8 cup (100 g); Buckwheat flour 0.8 cup (100 g); Fresh brewer's yeast 0.4 oz (10 g); Water 1 ½ cup (350 g) - lukewarm; Salt 1.7 tsp (10 g); Sugar 1 tsp; Extra virgin olive oil 3.7 tbsp (50 g)

For topping: Colonnata lard 3.5 oz (100 g); Figs 6; Chestnut honey 2 spoonfuls; Rosemary to taste; Coarse salt to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Five-grain focaccia with figs and lard

To prepare the five-grain focaccia with figs and lard, start with the dough. In a bowl, crumble the yeast, then add the water 1, sugar 2, and mix to dissolve it 3.

In a stand mixer with a hook (or in another bowl), pour all the flours 4 and the water with yeast 5, then start it until you get a homogeneous dough. Add the salt 6.

Also add the oil 7 and knead for a few minutes. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for another 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Form a dough ball 8 and place it in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap 9 or a cloth. Let it rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume, in a warm place.

Meanwhile, wash the figs and cut them into slices about 0.2 inches thick 10. Drizzle some oil on a 12x16 inch tray and spread it over the entire surface 11. Stretch the dough using your fingertips until it covers the entire tray 12.

Use your fingertips to press down on the entire surface to create the typical focaccia dimples. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again for 20-30 minutes 13. Distribute the sliced figs on the focaccia, pressing gently 14. Drizzle the surface with oil 15.

Add some coarse salt flakes 16 and fresh rosemary 17. Bake in a preheated convection oven at 428°F for 10 minutes, placing the tray on the lower part of the oven, then move it to the top and continue baking for another 15 minutes, or until it becomes crispy and golden. Remove the focaccia from the oven and take it out of the tray, then sprinkle the surface with chestnut honey 18.

Cut it 19 and garnish each slice with Colonnata lard 20. Your five-grain focaccia with figs and lard is ready to be served 21!

Storage

The five-grain focaccia with figs and lard can be stored at room temperature, wrapped in a clean cloth or in an airtight container, for 2 days. If you'd like to enjoy it warm, you can lightly reheat it in the oven before serving.

Tip

For a vegetarian version, you can omit the lard and enrich the focaccia with cheeses like gorgonzola or taleggio, which pair wonderfully with the sweetness of figs.

If you love more intense flavors, you can add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.