This beautiful flat bread is the perfect match with most Italian meals and is a great snacking starter with Olives, and a olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip. The key to balsamic is not to cheap on it, get the best you can afford. Delicious.
Ingredients:
520g Bread Flour
130g Plain Flour
1 tsp Dry Instant Yeast
2 tsp Kosher Salt
420ml Cold Filtered Water
5 tsp Italian Kalamata Olive Oil
30g Finely Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Topping:
4 tbsp Italian Kalamata Olive Oil
1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary
40g Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Sea Salt
Method:
1. In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, place all the ingredients. Knead the dough on 1st speed for about 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and sticky. 2. Place your dough in a large bowl that has been lightly oiled. Then turn the dough once so the top of the dough has a light coating of oil (this prevents a crust from forming on the top of the dough). Cover with cling film and allow to rise at room temperature for one hour. 3. After one hour you need to stretch and fold the dough to equalize its temperature and to strengthen. To do this, take one edge of the dough and stretch it and then fold it back onto the top. Turn your bowl 180 degrees and stretch the dough in the same way. Then turn your bowl a quarter turn (90 degrees) and stretch the dough in the same way. Then turn your bowl 180 degrees and repeat the process. After that, flip your dough so the bottom is now the top, cover, and prove for one more hour. 4. You will need a 10 x 15 inch (25 x 35 cm) baking pan. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with olive oil well. 5. Now after the dough has proved, using oiled hands, place the dough into the oiled pan and gently stretch the dough to fill the pan. If you find the dough resists stretching, stop, and let it rest for about 5 minutes and then try again. This will help the gluten relax. Cover the pan with cling film that has been lightly oiled, and let prove at room temperature for 1 hour. (If you lightly press into the dough, your finger will leave a slight indentation.) 6. Meanwhile pre-heat your oven to 220C. When your dough is ready to bake, using lightly oiled hands, dimple the dough all over, spacing the holes about 1 - 2 inch apart. To do this press your finger straight down into the dough all the way to the bottom. Now sprinkle with fresh rosemary and Parmesan cheese, and then drizzle evenly with 4 tablespoons of Italian olive oil. Finish with a sprinkling of sea salt. 7. Bake for about 22 to 26 minutes, or until golden brown on the top and bottom. The longer you bake the Focaccia the more crisp the outside crust will be. Let the Focaccia cool in the pan. Then remove from the pan, and using a serrated knife, cut into pieces. The Focaccia is best the day it is made, but can be covered and stored at room temperature for 2 days or it can be frozen. Makes 1 - 10 x 15 inch (25 x 35 cm) Focaccia.
www.cornishbaker.com
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