Focaccia

意大利香料面包 (佛卡夏)

Made this fluffy herbs focaccia today! Recipe is from Peng Fudong and I made half portion using a 18cm x 18cm square baking pan to achieve a tall bread.

Ingredients:

500g bread flour

325g warm water

9g salt

3g instant yeast

75g water (to be added slowly in 3 batches)

35g olive oil

olive oil & water mixture ratio: 1:1 (for oiling baking tray/pan, dipping your fingers into the dough to make dimples)

Method:

1. Put flour, yeast, salt and warm water into the mixing bowl. Use a dough attachment to knead the dough (slow speed first, then medium) until it comes clean from the sides of the mixing bowl. Dough should be slightly extensible.

2. Add water into the mixing bowl in 3 batches. For each addition, knead using slow speed first to avoid water splashing out of the mixing bowl. Then increase speed to knead. Make sure water is fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next batch of water. After all water has been incorporated, the dough should be shiny and very extensible.

3. Add olive oil and knead (slow speed first, then increase speed) until fully incorporated. Do window pane test.

4. Lightly coat the baking pan with olive oil & water mixture. Transfer the dough to the baking pan, fold the dough onto itself (i.e. gently lift the edges of the dough and fold it towards the centre), flip the dough and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it rectangular. Cover the pan with clingwrap or cloth and proof for 30 minutes. At the 30th minute mark, repeat the folding (to incorporate air into the dough) and continue to proof for another 30 minutes.

5. Dab fingers in the olive oil & water mixture and create lots of  dimples in the dough, starting from the center of the dough. The dough will "automatically" stretch towards the side of the baking pan. Gently stretch the dough if your baking pan is big. Cover with clingwrap or cloth and proof for 1 hour.

6. Dab fingers in the olive oil & water mixture and gently press into the dough to create more dimples. Add toppings (e.g. herbs, olive) and sprinkle sea salt flakes.

7. Bake at 220 degrees celcius for 15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Note: To make olive oil soaked cherry tomatoes, cut 250g cherry tomatoes into half, mix in olive oil and dried/fresh herbs, then roast in oven at 150 degree celcius until almost dry.