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Focaccia - Cubangirl - 01-31-2010

I made this again tonight and just wanted to say thank you C@H. My guests said it was better than that of any of the restaurants in town. I was afraid it would not work as well because I spaced and didn't get the biga made and into the fridge till 6:30 Saturday morning. It came out at 3:00 p.m.. The bread was ready to eat by 7:00 pm golden and delicious. DH was supposed to take pictures, but forgot. I used EVOO instead of spray for my first rising. I then used Costco's garlic EVOO for the top and sprinkled with kosher salt and lots of Penzey's granulated garlic (skipped the rosemary since there was lots of it on the pork). It was so good. Crispy crust, chewy center. I used 2 8" square metal pans. I've found that it reheats well in the convection bake setting of the toaster oven, so I'll be enjoying the leftovers today. Made it for SIL birthday dinner along with pork tenderloin, homemade creamed corn, apple-cranberry chutney (tweaked my tweak of the original and it was even better) and Hazan's minestrone soup. For dessert low-fat key lime pie(test recipe) and almond chocolate bars that have baked brown sugar meringue on top. Dinner was a hit and I'd doubled everything, so we have nice leftovers.


Re: Focaccia - cjs - 01-31-2010

In what issue/book was the focacia?? I love working with biga - it always smells so good.


Re: Focaccia - Cubangirl - 01-31-2010

Here's the recipe:
EXPORTED FROM LIVING COOKBOOK

FOCACCIA WITH GARLIC AND SEA SALT*****

Servings: 8 Yield: 2" X 9" pans

Oven Temperature: 400°F

BIGA
1½ cups water, room temperature
1 packet instant dry yeast ( ¼ oz. or 2 ¼ tsps.)
1 cup bread flour
BREAD
biga from above
2 cups bread flour
2 tsp. fine sea salt
½ tsp. sugar
2 TBS. fresh rosemary needles, blanched (optional)
4 TBS. extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Granulated garlic to taste (I use lots)

Whisk the water and yeast together for the biga in a glass or metal bowl. Add 1 cup flour and whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight (but no longer than 16 hours).

Before preparing the dough, bring the biga to room temperature, setting it on the counter for 1 hour. It will be thick and foamy.

Combine the biga, 2 cups flour, 2 tsps. salt, and sugar for the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, or until incorporated. Increase speed to med-low and mix until smooth, 5 minutes. If the dough is not wet, sticky, and falling from the hook, add water, 2 tsps. at a time, until it is.

Transfer dough to a bowl coated with nonstick spray. Pull the dough up and over itself until its top is smooth, then coat with nonstick spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 1½–2 hours. (About 40 min. in the microwave*)

When the dough is doubled, it’s ready to go into the baking pan. Drizzle 1½ TBS. olive oil in each of two 8" or 9” square pans, then smear it to coat using your hands. Divide the dough in half and put it into the pans, Press dough evenly into the pan, cover with plastic, and let rise until 1" thick, about 1 hour. (About 40 minutes in microwave*) You can also use the entire dough and oil on a 9" x 13" baking pan (glass is ok, metal gives a crispier crust).

Preheat oven to 400°.

Top dough with the blanched rosemary if using. Coat fingers with nonstick spray, then press them into the dough to “dimple”—not too many or the dough will collapse. Drizzle dough with 4–5 TBS. oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and granulated garlic. To crisp the bottom crust place the pan on a baking stone, thought they do fine in just the oven rack. Bake until the top is golden and sides pull away from the pan, 25–30 minutes. Transfer the bread to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Focaccia is best served the same day it’s baked but can be wrapped tightly in foil and re-crisped in a toaster oven.

* To blanch rosemary, dump it into a pot of boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove and drop them into ice water to lock in the color and stop the cooking. Once cool, drain on paper towels and use immediately or freeze up to a month.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 20 hours
Total Time: 21 hours

Source: CAH 10/2006, #9, p. 45

* To blanch rosemary, dump it into a pot of boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove and drop them into ice water to lock in the color and stop the cooking. Once cool, drain on paper towels and use immediately or freeze up to a month.


Re: Focaccia - Gourmet_Mom - 01-31-2010

Thanks for posting this. I don't have that issue. I have a recipe that I like, but I'm always looking for better. Like Jean, I like working with a biga.


Re: Focaccia - - 01-31-2010

Thanks for this recipe - I have never worked with biga but this sounds great.


Re: Focaccia - cjs - 01-31-2010

Thanks for posting it.