Hello Bakers,
For the first time in over a year of DoughDr shows, I had an epic tech fail and was unable to retrieve the archive. I spent all yesterday afternoon fixing the issues.
So sorry to have let you down and I am grateful to my audience who were so patient with yesterday’s production.
Here is the foccacia recipe from Saturday’s show. This is the last in our bread series for now.
Foccacia is our most hydrated dough at 72% hydration. It is a sticky dough but that is normal with this level of hydration.
You’ll want your water spray bottle handy as it is the best way to handle sticky dough. Lightly mist your bowl scraper before digging the dough out of the bowl and spray your hands when folding.
If you enjoy making foccacia there are so many variations you can try and I will be adding more in the bread book I am writing. In the meantime - I recommend Carol Field’s excellent book “Foccacia” for more inspiration. Foccacia by Carol Field. This bread is great to serve with meals and makes great sandwiches.
I know you’ll enjoy baking this foccacia, bakers - when you do please tag me on IG - I love to see your beautiful bakes.
Foccacia
Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, quarter sheet pan or 13 X 9” pan, foccacia can also be shaped free form on a half sheet pan.
Yield ¼ sheet pan - 13” x 9” pan
Olive oil for greasing the pan
Ingredients:
288g water - 80 degrees
7g yeast
30g olive oil
400g bread flour
8g salt
Pesto Foccacia MEP
Additional Extra Virgin Olive oil for pan and topping
Store bought or homemade pesto
Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the dough, scale, ¼ sheet pan, pastry brush,
Spray bottle filled with water, bowl scraper
Combine the water, yeast and olive oil in a mixer bowl.
Let sit for 5 minutes.
Add the flour and salt. Attach the dough hook.
Mix the dough on speed 2 for 3 minutes.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl when necessary.
The dough will be sticky - have the spray bottle close by - spray hands and tools to help work with the stickier dough.
This dough is 72% hydrated it will be sticky - spray hands and tools with a mist of water and working with the dough will be more manageable
Place the dough in an oiled bowl - you may have to spray a bowl scraper sprayed with water to move the dough from the mixer to the oiled bowl.
Cover the bowl and let it ferment for one hour.
After one hour, give the dough a fold, cover and let sit for 30 minutes
Very generously grease the quarter sheet pan: Nordic Ware Quarter Sheet Pans or a 13” x 9” cake pan.
Herbed Olive Variation
Place the dough on the greased sheet pan.
Fold over the bottom edge up so that it meets the top edge, giving the gluten a good stretch as you do, fold the top edge so that it meets the bottom edge and then the right side so that it meets the left side and the left side so that it meets the right side - this will leave you with a neat package of dough - flip it over so that the smoothest side is on top.
Oil the top with olive oil, lightly flatten. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, press into the sides and corners of the pan - if it resists, cover and let sit for an additional 15 minutes - the gluten needs to relax more.
Once the dough is stretched to the sides and bottom of the pan - cover and allow to proof until is to the top of the pan. Before baking, brush top gently with olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary leaves, coarse salt and dot with pitted full flavored olives like kalamata or castelvetrano.
Pesto Variation
Place the dough on the greased sheet pan and spread top with pesto.
Fold over the bottom edge and spread with pesto, repeat with top and sides.
Flip the dough over - oil the top with olive oil, lightly flatten. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Resist the urge to spread the top of the foccacia with pesto - it will burn.
Please no pesto on top - just EVOO and a sprinkling of coarse salt
After 30 minutes, press into the sides and corners of the pan - if it resists, cover and let sit for an additional 15 minutes - the gluten needs to relax more.
Once the dough is stretched to the sides and bottom of the pan - cover and allow to proof until is to the top of the pan. Brush the foccacia with olive oil, dimple and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Olive and Rosemary Foccacia - proofed to the top of the pan - dimple, top and bake
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Once the dough is nearly to the top of the pan - top gently with more olive oil. Dimple.
Optional: Sprinkle with coarse salt
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool for about 20 minutes before cutting.
Leftover focaccia freezes beautifully.