Pesto Focaccia Bread Food

FOCACCIA WITH PESTO & MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Put the flour into a bowl and mix in the salt. Mix the yeast into 325ml tepid water. Add the water and oil to the flour, then mix well with a plastic scraper or your hands. When most of the liquid is incorporated, use your hands to bring all the ingredients together into a ball of dough.
• Tip the dough out onto a worktop lightly dusted with flour and work it by pulling and stretching for at least 10 mins. Try to get as much air into it as possible. Put the ball of worked dough into a well-oiled bowl, cover with a little more oil and a tea towel or cling film. Leave to rest for 1 hr or so in a non-draughty warm spot, until doubled in size.
• Now stretch the dough out onto a baking sheet until it's about 20 x 30cm. Leave the dough to rise again to about half as high again, about 30-40 mins in a warm draught-free place, loosely covered with a tea towel.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. When the dough has risen, press your fingers into it gently to make some holes. Bake for about 15 mins, then remove from the oven. Tear over the mozzarella, then bake for another 5-10 mins until golden and cooked through. Drizzle over the pesto and scatter with sea salt, if you like. Serve straight away.

PESTO AND OLIVE FOCACCIA (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Select 1 1/2 pound loaf size.
• Add ingredients except pesto to machine according to manufacturer's directions.
• Select the dough cycle, when the cycle is complete, remove dough, punch down.
• Cover and allow to rest 10 minutes.
• Place dough on greased 11-12" pizza pan.
• Using the palms of your hands, pat dough into an even round just smaller than pan; using your fingertips, poke dough all over to dimple surface.
• Spread pesto over the dough.
• Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place 30 minutes; bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes.
• Serve warm or cool, cut into wedges. Leftovers can be store in the freezer.

PESTO FOCACCIA BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Coat 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
• 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, sugar and salt.
• 3. In a glass cup, combine water and 2 tablespoons of butter. Microwave in 15 second bursts until warm but not hot!.
• 4. Add butter mix to dry ingredients and stir. Spread into your greased baking pan.
• 5. Cover pan with towel and let rise until doubled. About 30 minutes or so.
• 6. Using an oiled finger or wooden spoon handle, poke holes in dough about an inch apart, not quite to the bottom.
• 7. Drizzle the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, spread pesto on (optional) and sprinkle with parmesan.
• 8. Let rise, uncovered for an additional 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• 9. Bake 25 to 20 minutes and let cool slightly. It is delicious warm!!

PESTO FOCACCIA SANDWICH FOR SIX

Steps:

• Cut bread in half horizontally, using a serrated knife.
• Spread pesto evenly over cut sides of bread.
• Layer ham and next 3 ingredients evenly over bottom half. Top with remaining bread half.
• Wrap in aluminum foil.
• Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Cut into six wedges.

PESTO FOCACCIA SANDWICH

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl, ensuring the yeast and salt don't touch. Pour in 350ml lukewarm water and the olive oil, and bring together with a spoon to form a wet, elastic dough. If using a stand mixer, knead for 5 mins or until the dough stops sticking to the side of the bowl. If kneading by hand, knead for 10 mins on a lightly floured surface.
• Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, damp tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hr or until doubled in size.
• Line a 20 x 30cm roasting tin with a piece of crumpled baking parchment. Cut the dough in half and press, as lightly as possible, one half into the roasting tin, stretching it out to fill the tin. Cover with the basil, mozzarella and pine nuts, then spread out the other half of the dough and place on top. Cover and leave to rise for 1 hr or until light and puffy.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Once risen, press indents with your fingers into the top of the dough. The dough is ready if the indents stay; if they bounce back, leave the dough for longer. Fill the indents with pesto, then sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt and drizzle with a little olive oil.
• Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 25-30 mins, without opening the oven door, until golden.
• Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Take to your picnic whole and slice into 10-12 sandwiches when serving.

FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix the yeast into one side of the flour, and the fine salt into the other side. Then mix everything together, this initial seperation prevents the salt from killing the yeast.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil and 350-400ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a slightly sticky dough (you may not need all the water). Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until your dough is soft and less sticky. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Oil a rectangle, shallow tin (25 x 35cm). Tip the dough onto the work surface, then stretch it to fill the tin. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 35-45 mins.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples. Mix together 1½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp water and the flaky salt and drizzle over the bread. Push sprigs of rosemary into the dimples in the dough.
• Bake for 20 mins until golden. Whilst the bread is still hot, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold with extra olive oil, if you like.