Made-a-Move Monday #2

This week I made Foccacia bread, per special request, for an event with over 100 participants.

As I want to do and give my best, I am posting my Foccacia recipe (on a more normal scale) here to share with you.  It takes a bit of work, but is soooooo worth it!!  Make a move to try it and Enjoy!

Equipment needed:

Stand mixer with paddle attachment, dough hook optional

Ingredients:

• 2 cups warm water (about 105 deg F)
• 2 envelopes (4.5 teasp) active dry yeast
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup canola oil (or other oil of your choice)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup Italian seasoning
• 1 Tbs crushed/ finely minced fresh garlic
• 5 1/2 – 6 cups unbleached flour
• Toppings of your choice (ie, Coarse Kosher Salt, crushed rosemary, sliced tomatoes, fresh garlic cloves, chopped red onion, pesto….etc.)

Directions:

In mixer bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and allow to proof (let it sit for 5 – 10 min).  Add olive oil, canola oil, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic.  With paddle attachment, mix in 3 cups of flour – start at slowest speed and then increase mixer speed to medium to whip the dough until it begins to leave the sides of mixer bowl (approximately 7 – 10 min.)

Mix in 2 1/2 cups flour by hand or with a dough hook and knead until smooth.

Dough should be soft but not too sticky.  If sticky, knead a little more flour in.  Allow dough to rise until doubled in size either on lightly floured counter with large inverted bowl over it or in large bowl, covered (with plastic wrap or damp tight-woven towel) to keep dough from drying out.  Rising time will depend on warmth of location (approx 30 min to 1 hour).  If using regular active dry yeast (instead of quick rise), punch dough down and allow to rise again.

Divide dough to size desired (see below) and either roll flat with rolling pin or press out flat with hands to shape of pan.

Prepare pans by oiling them.  This recipe is enough for two 13 inch pizza pans.  Type of pan is up to you – the picture below is an 8″ square pan with just over 1 pound of dough (recipe would fill 3 of these pans).

Allow dough to rise in pans approximately 30 minutes (again loosely covered in plastic wrap to prevent drying – can oil the plastic wrap to prevent sticking).

Toppings: Put toppings on dough either before or after rising in pans (I do it after).

“Plain” Foccacia: First I lightly rub a little olive oil over top of bread dough. Sprinkle a little Coarse Kosher Salt and Crushed rosemary on top.  Using 2 – 3 finger tips, poke lots of ‘dents’ downward in dough.

Garlic/ Tomato Foccacia: First I lightly rub a little olive oil over top of bread dough. Sprinkle a little Coarse Kosher Salt and Crushed rosemary on top.  Press fresh garlic cloves (cut in approximately halves depending on size of each clove) down into dough.  Press thin slices of tomatoes onto dough.  Using 2 – 3 finger tips, poke lots of ‘dents’ downward in dough.

Other topping ideas:  Diced red onion, basil, thinly sliced and/ or roasted peppers, pesto, olives, ….

Bake breads at about 385 deg F until golden brown on top and slightly brown on bottom (approximately 20 – 40 min. depending on size, thickness and quantity in oven)

Cool on racks.

Enjoy!