A Recipe for REAL Focaccia--PLEASE!

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obillo

Senior Cook
Joined
Oct 2, 2022
Messages
142
Location
Manhattan
What we get here in NYC is big, fat, swollen slabs of bread masquerading as focaccia. What I want is real Genoese focaccia--THIN, oil-dressed, maybe with shut a few strands of thin thin thin onion on top. NO tomatoes! A recipe andany instructions and tips will be rewarded with eternal gratitude.
 
Samin Nosrat's Ligurian Focaccia seems to be pretty authentic. This is from her book "Salt Fat Acid Heat." In her Netflix series by the same name, in the episode on Fat, she goes to Italy and learns this method from a baker there. I've made it in a sheet pan for a thinner loaf and in a 9x13 baking pan for a thicker loaf. I slice the thicker one in half horizontally to make sandwiches.
https://www.saltfatacidheat.com/fat/ligurian-focaccia
2021-04-12-10-14-09.jpg
 
I don't bake much. I guess I'm not a baker. So in the past I have purchased Bridgeford bread dough. Its frozen and comes ready to thaw and rise.
I thaw it overnight in the fridge, then pat it out on a sheet pan (one loaf makes a very sizable final product) heavily saturated with good olive oil. I let it rise for about 2 hours. I then give a good prodding with my finger tips more oil and coarse Kosher salt. I let it rise again for about an hour. I have used fresh garlic, onions or olives before.
The instructions call for a 375° oven so I use 400°. Its very good. And its easy.
I do want to bake, so my next one is going to be a homemade dough. I guess a pizza dough recipe is what I should follow?
 
Here's my collection thereof, Roll Bones:
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/neapolitan-style-pizza-crust-recipe

http://www.silverscreensuppers.com/sophia-loren/sophia-lorens-pizza-alla-napoletana

https://www.pmq.com/top-chefs-and-operators-share-5-tips-for-a-more-flavorful-crust

https://www.saveur.com/story/food/m...cx-1H7Tuy-1c-O6GN-1c-1H7sOE-l5m5qKro6W-2ID3FC




Pizza Dough

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons/5 grams dry active yeast

4 ½ cups/625 grams all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

2 teaspoons/5 grams kosher salt

2 tablespoons/30 milliliters olive oil

PREPARATION

Put 1 3/4 cups/420 milliliters lukewarm water in a mixing bowl (use a stand mixer or food processor if you prefer). Sprinkle yeast over water and let dissolve, about 2 minutes.

Add flour, salt and olive oil and mix well until flour is incorporated and dough forms, about 5 minutes. It may look a little rough or pockmarked. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Turn dough out onto surface and knead lightly until it looks smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces, about 8 ounces/225 grams each. Wrap dough pieces individually in resealable zipper bags and refrigerate for several hours or, for best results, overnight; you can also freeze it for future use. (You can skip this rise in the refrigerator and use the dough right away, but this cool, slow rise makes it easier to stretch and gives the pizza a crisper texture and more nuanced flavor.) To use dough, form each piece into a smooth, firm ball, and place on a flour-dusted or parchment-lined baking sheet. (If you froze the dough, leave it at room temperature for several hours first, or defrost overnight in the refrigerator.) Flour lightly, cover loosely with plastic wrap and top with a kitchen towel. Leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Each dough ball with make a 10-inch diameter pizza.

Knead and First Rise: Rest dough 20 min., then knead with a dusting of flour ca. 30 seconds to 1 min. It should be very smooth. Place dough ball seam down & lightly oiled; cover w/plastic wrap. Rest dough for 2 hours at room temperature (I’m assuming 70° to 75°F) for the first rise. Shape dough into a medium-tight round, working gently. Second Fermentation: Place dough on a lightly floured plate, flour the top, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 6 hours for the second fermentation. Alternatively, you can rest the dough ball for 4 hours at room temperature, and then refrigerate to hold for up to the next evening. Making Pizza: Make pizza anytime in the 4 hours following the second stage of fermentation. If you refrigerated the dough ball, let it come to room temperature for an hour while you preheat the oven and prepare your toppings.
 
I don't bake much. I guess I'm not a baker. So in the past I have purchased Bridgeford bread dough. Its frozen and comes ready to thaw and rise.
I thaw it overnight in the fridge, then pat it out on a sheet pan (one loaf makes a very sizable final product) heavily saturated with good olive oil. I let it rise for about 2 hours. I then give a good prodding with my finger tips more oil and coarse Kosher salt. I let it rise again for about an hour. I have used fresh garlic, onions or olives before.
The instructions call for a 375° oven so I use 400°. Its very good. And its easy.
I do want to bake, so my next one is going to be a homemade dough. I guess a pizza dough recipe is what I should follow?
Why don't you try the recipe I posted? It's really easy.
 
Focaccia Bread Recipe

7g instant yeast
350 ml (1 and half cup) of warm water
1 full tablespoon of honey
Flour (approximately 500 grams) [roughly 4 cups]
1 - 2 teaspoons of salt
Mix all the ingredients until well combined, then refrigerate overnight. In the morning, cover with oil, add toppings if desired, and bake. That's it, it doesn't get any simpler than this!
 
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