Dill Pickle Focaccia.Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
When people ask if I prefer sweet or savoury, my answer is briny – pickles swing both ways.
There are few things I crave as often as a cold pickle, cucumber or otherwise, straight from the jar, standing at the open fridge. And it’s not just me: Pickles – dills in particular – are currently enjoying some social-media limelight, as influencers are using giant dills as hoagie buns, freezing them solid to grate over burgers and nachos, marinating them in Kool-Aid and wrapping them in Fruit Roll-Ups.
Pickles are popular thanks to their quirky vibe and accessibility. They’re affordable, and they fit within most dietary parameters (containing only cucumbers, vinegar, salt and dill, perhaps some garlic or pickling spice.) And what once felt like the most out-there flavour, the briny and sharp dill pickle flavour has infiltrated everything from chips, sodas and cotton candy to ketchup and beer.
I’m more of a pickle traditionalist; I love making dill pickle soup – much-loved on the Prairies – and dill pickle chip dip, or coating pickle slices in panko and frying them. I grate pickles (no need to freeze them) into Caesar salad and use brine in the dressing – the brine can be used in vinaigrettes and marinades, and in most places you might otherwise use vinegar – and add pickle bits to everything from egg salad to fritters. I sometimes marinate Russet potatoes, cut into sticks, in pickle brine before turning them into fries to serve with pickle-spiked mayo (essentially tartar sauce).
In this pickle focaccia, a half-cup of brine in the dough not only adds flavour, but makes for a more acidic environment, which yeasts are into. An added pour overtop before baking makes it extra pickle-y. But the best part, if you’re a pickle fan, is serving it with a puddle of olive oil and pickle brine in place of the usual balsamic vinegar, for dipping.
Dill Pickle Focaccia
This airy, chewy focaccia has a very well-hydrated dough that ferments over 12-24 hours, and doesn’t require kneading nor strict timing; I generally mix up the dough on one day, leave it on the countertop for the afternoon/evening, then pop it in the fridge overnight to slow the rise. The next morning I take it out and let it sit until I’m ready to bake it.
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1/2 tsp active dry or instant yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup dill pickle brine (divided)
- 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
- Olive, canola or vegetable oil
- 2-4 dill pickles, sliced about 1/4-inch thick, for topping
- Flaky salt, for topping
Put the warm water into a large bowl and sprinkle over the yeast. Let it sit for a minute or two, then stir to dissolve. (This isn’t necessary with instant yeast, but doesn’t hurt.)
Add the flour, 1/2 cup of the pickle brine and salt and stir until you have a shaggy dough. Cover with a plate or tea towel and let sit on the countertop for 12-18 hours, or up to 24 hours, leaving it overnight in the fridge.
An hour or two before you want to bake, generously oil a 9-13-inch baking pan and scrape the dough into it. Turn it over to coat, then press it into the bottom of the pan, pressing deeply with your fingers to create dimples.
Cover with a baking sheet or tea towel and let sit for about an hour, then push your fingers deep into the dough again to deepen the dimples, pour the remaining 1/4 cup pickle brine overtop and let it sit for another half-hour while you preheat the oven to 450 F. Scatter the sliced pickles overtop and bake for about 20 minutes, until deep golden.
Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt while the bread is still warm. If you like, serve with a shallow dish of olive oil and pickle brine, for dipping.
Serves about 10.