Here you go Staci.
Focaccia
with rosemary and sea salt
Makes one 9 x 13" loaf
Total time: 4 hours + rise for the biga
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 t.
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 min. If the dough is not
wet, sticky, and falling from the hook,
add water, 2 t. 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, 11⁄2–2 hours.
Bear in mind that focaccia does take some
time to make. That’s because it’s built on a
biga [BEE-gah], a mixture of water, yeast,
and flour that’s slowly fermented for flavor.
The bread will taste best if the biga
ferments overnight in the fridge, but 3–4
hours at room temperature is okay.
A wet, sticky dough is normal so don’t
be tempted to add flour, or the focaccia’s
texture will change. I recommend using
bread flour for its high gluten (protein)
content—the dough will rise better and
the bread will be chewier than it would
be if made with all-purpose flour.
Dealing with the dough
www.CuisineAtHome.com october 2006 45
For the Biga—
Whisk Together; Add:
11⁄2 cups water, room temperature
1 packet instant dry yeast
(1⁄4 oz. or 21⁄4 t.)
1 cup bread flour
For the Dough—
Combine; Let Rise:
Biga
2 cups bread flour
2 t. fine sea salt or table salt
1⁄2 t. sugar
Top Dough with:
2 T. fresh rosemary needles,
blanched, see Basics, Page 32
4–5 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 t. coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Per 1⁄12: 145 calories; 30% calories from fat; 5g total fat;
