FOCACCIA BREAD Bread Baking Challenge #13

  My very own: eggplant, caramelized onion, fresh mozzarella, focaccia pizza

Bread Baking Challenge #13:http://pinchmysalt.com/the-bba-challenge/

FOCACCIA, is not a very famous kind of bread (but... maybe I can change that....)

FOCACCIA BREAD,  caramelized onion, fresh mozzarella, eggplant focaccia, this is my choice that I will try next...

 

I am not familiar with this bread, and I was not even inclined to give it a try. I was looking for another person baking this bread, from BREAD BAKING CHALLENGE, and I was very impressed with Annie McLeod's picture and comment that I thought to try...

Peter Reinhart is telling us that this bread is not so appreciated in America, but his cousin PIZZA (from Napoli), thin-crust pizza, is very well known. This FOCACCIA is the same family of PIZZA but is originally from Liguria, thick (1and1/4") with, big translucent holes, like CIABATTA BREAD.

One can use this focaccia dough with different toppings (cheese, cooked vegetables, cooked meats) as a dinner meal,  or use herbs and oil on top, for a snack.

As I read in almost all the discussions by other challengers, I am going to make 1/2 of the recipe for the same size pan, they all are saying it is too thick, following the book recipe..

I am starting with flour, yeast, water, and oil as the recipe is, mix with the paddle for 3 minutes,

and change the paddle with the hook, after that and mix for 6 more minutes at medium speed.

The dough is sticky and very loose, easy to manipulate.

I made a very thick bed of flour, put the dough in it and I stretch,  and fold as a letter, 

oil the top, cover, and leave to rest at room temp for 30 minutes. I repeat this 3 times (90 minutes in total at room temp).

After all this time, fold and unfold, and stretch the dough as big as the baking pan.

The recipe in the book is telling us to keep the dough on the counter, and after an hour move it to the pan. Most of the discussion was to put it in the pan from the beginning, and then wait for an hour at room temp before you put the dough in the refrigerator. It seems like once it was rising for an hour was very difficult to make a good job moving to the pan.

Spray oil, add flour to top, and after an hour cover the dough and store in the refrigerator for the next day.

The next day I took it out of the refrigerator and left it at room temp for 4h and I became soft and bubbly, ready to prepare.

I prepared a few toppings before I set it up for baking: caramelized onion, grilled eggplant, fresh mozzarella slices, and sun-dried tomatoes.

It looked colorful and I was eager to try it. The baking part is short, at 500F for 10 minutes, and rotate, for 10 more minutes at 450F.

My focaccia pizza, it is hearty, rustic, earthy, well paired with a light wine (Merlot), and good company.... Perfect lunch!