Monday, May 18, 2009

Focaccia















I made this recipe something like five years ago. I
really have to do this again as it was so yummy.
SO much to do and so little time. :o)
Below is the Focaccia recipe I used. It is a multi-purpose
recipe and the creator is Robert that use to have a yahoo group.
You will see down below the HOW TO for Focassia.
It is a bread that is thick squares that is italian tasting.

Refrigerator Bread/Dough

1 1/8 cups ice water
3 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons yeast

Place all of the ingredients in your machines fully
assembled pan. Select the dough cycle and press
start. After 10 minutes of kneading stop your
machine, remove the pan and cover it tightly
with plastic wrap secured with a rubberband.
Place the pan of dough in your refrigerator
for 24 hours. After the 24 hours remove the
pan from the refrigerator and place in a
warm to so the dough can warm up. Once
the dough has reached room temperature
(3 to 6 hours) place the pan back in your machine.

Now you have a few choices. You can make a
wonderful loaf of white bread
by setting your machine on the white bread
cycle and pressing start. You
can make focaccia, pizza crust, dinner
rolls or baguettes from this dough
as well. If you are going to make one of
these then set your machine for
the dough cycle and press start. When
the machine beeps...

Focaccia:

Remove the dough to a 10x13 baking/cake
pan that has been well oiled with olive oil.
Gently spread the dough out to fill the pan.
If you need to let the dough rest for 10
minutes and then finish spreading it out.
Once the dough fills the pan (including the corners)
cover with a damp towel (not a terry cloth one)
and let sit until the dough has risen about 1 hour.
Take your fingers and make random indentations
in the dough. Don't go over board you just want
some indentations, but you don't want to deflate the
dough. Next drizzle on some olive oil (about 1/8 cup),
sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary or other herb
you like, like oregano, thyme, etc.Then sprinkle with
1/2 tsp. salt (kosher salt is best). Place in a
preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 20
to 40 minutes or until the focaccia is golden
brown. Remove from the oven and remove the
focaccia toa cooling rack to cool.

Pizza Crust:

This recipe makes enough dough for 1 thick crust
pizza or 2 thin crust pizzas. Remove the dough
to a lightly oiled surface divide in half if your
going to make thin crusts. Form each half in to
a small rough ball and let sit for 10 minutes.
Using your hands slowly start flattening the
dough out in to a circle. Then use a rolling pin.
Once you have the dough to the thickness and
size you want move it to a oiled pizza pan, top
and then bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 to
30 minutes or until the crust is golden and
toppings and cheese are hot and melted. If
you wish to cook on baking stone you will
need to preheat the oven for 30 minutes.
Shape and roll out the dough on baking
parchment, top and then place in the oven on
the hot stone parchment and all bake for 20
to 30 minutes or until thecrust is golden and
toppings and cheese are hot and melted.

Dinner Rolls:

Remove the dough to a lightly greased surface.
Divide in to 12 pieces.Shape each pieces in to
a smooth round ball and place in a high sided
baking dish. You want to use a baking dish that
is large enough to hold all 12 dough balls with
about 1 inch of space around them. Cover with a
damp non-terry cloth towel and allow to rise
until doubled (1 to 2 hours). Bake in a preheated
400 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the
rolls are golden brown. Remove the rolls to a
cooling rack to cool. Serve room temperature or warm.

Baguettes:

Remove the dough to a lightly greased surface. Roll
the dough out in to a log about 12" long. Using a
sharp knife or a dough scrapper cut the dough
in to 3 long strips. Do not cut with a sawing
motion, press down and cut that way. Take each
strip of dough and roll between the work surface
and the palm of your hand to smooth it out and
to lengthen it to a length that is just long enough
to fill on a cookie sheet. Place the dough strips on a
lightly greased cookie sheet, cover with a damp
non-terry cloth towel and allow to rise until
doubled (1 to 2 hours). Bake in a 400 degree oven for
30 to 40 minutes or until the baguettes are golden brown.

For Artesian Style Crust:

This works will all of the above except for the
loaf baked in the bread machine. Before you
place the final item in the oven to bake place a pan
with high sides in the bottom of your oven with
4 cups of boiling water in it. Then place your
bread product in to bake. With the exception of the
pizza you can also spritz the bread with a spray
bottle of ice water ever 1 to 2 minutes for the
first 10 minutes of baking. The combination of both
of these will help give a crispy crackly crust.

Description:
"This wonderful artisan style bread has a
wonderfully complex flavor and is easy to make."

4 comments:

  1. I love foccacia. Your's looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks! Hope to make it again soon. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Until I started reading Bread Baker's Apprentice I had zero clue how versatile focaccia is.

    Looks amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Jeff!
    I finally got my BBA book. Now I can catch up on all the info I have missed. :)
    Susie

    ReplyDelete

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