Thick Focaccia Food

BASIC FOCACCIA RECIPE (AND EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT FOCACCIA!)

Steps:

• Mix the flour, water and yeast in a roomy bowl and whisk with a wooden spoon to mix well.
• Cover with clingfilm and leave in the kitchen overnight. If you are not starting about 12 hours after mixing the poolish, place the poolish in the fridge until you need it, but no more than 4 hours.
• Dissolve the yeast in the water in your mixing bowl, a wooden spoon is best for this, it'll only take 20 seconds or so.
• Add the poolish, flour, followed by the salt, in that order.
• Using a dough hook, mix the ingredients on low until the flour is no longer "flying". Then increase to high (5 on my Titanium Chef) and mix for 8 minutes, until the dough is beginning to pull away from the sides. That means that it is stretching slightly, all around, while sticking to the sides. Scrape down the sides in the fir couple of minutes, if you have to.
• Lower the speed to low and drizzle in the 4 Tbsp of oil, while the dough hook is still moving.
• Increase the speed back up to high and mix for 3-5 minutes. At around the 3 minute mark, you will hear loud slapping sounds coming from your food mixer. Go take a look. If the dough is moving around in practically a ball shape, it is done. You can proceed with the next step.
• Tip the dough into a large, lightly greased bowl. Use a spatula to help it away from the mixing bowl, it should just come away easily.
• Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 1 hour.
• Line your baking tin with baking paper if it's not non stick. Just in case!
• When the hour is up, tip the wet, risen dough into the middle of the tin. Lightly cover with clingfilm and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
• At the end of 30 minutes, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil all over, and push the focaccia dough, starting from the middle, to fit the tin. It should already be almost covering it anyway. Let the dough rest for another 20 minutes. Don't be tempted to pop those bubbles, apart from the ones you naturally touch as you are spreading the dough. We want those bubbles in our bread dough.
• Preheat the oven to 240˚C/475˚F.
• At the end of those 20 minutes, using the tip of your fingers, poke your dough all over to create dimples. Don't worry too much if you don't get pronounced dips.
• Drizzle another 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and scatter the rosemary all over. Finish off with a sprinkle of the salt flakes.
• Bake on the middle shelf for 25-30 minutes, until the top is a beautiful golden brown and crispy.
• Take it out of the oven, leave it to rest for 10 minutes, before cutting into squares. Before cutting, you can drizzle the final 2 tablespoons of oil all over, if you like, which will give a wet feel to some part of the focaccia. I do it, but its a matter of taste.

THICK FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment proof the yeast with the sugar in the water for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy, add the flour, the table salt, and 3 tablespoons of the oil, and combine the dough well. With the dough hook knead the dough for 2 minutes, or until it is soft and slightly sticky. Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to an oiled bowl, and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until it is double in bulk. The dough may be made up to this point, punched down, and kept, covered and chilled, overnight. Let the dough return to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. Press the dough evenly into an oiled jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inches, and let it rise, covered loosely, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is almost double in bulk.
• Dimple the dough, making 1/4-inch-deep indentations with your fingertips, brush it with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and sprinkle it with the coarse salt. Bake the focaccia in the bottom third of a preheated 400°F. oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it is golden brown, let it cool in the pan on a rack, and serve it warm or at room temperature, split for sandwiches if desired.

FOCACCIA BREAD

Steps:

• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, proof the yeast by combining it with the warm water and sugar.
• Stir gently to dissolve.
• Let stand 3 minutes until foam appears.
• Turn mixer on low and slowly add the flour to the bowl.
• Dissolve salt in 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the mixture.
• Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil.
• When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium.
• Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook.
• Mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface and fold over itself a few times.
• Form the dough into a round and place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat the entire ball with oil so it doesn't form a skin.
• Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise over a gas pilot light on the stovetop or other warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Coat a sheet pan with a little olive oil and corn meal.
• Once the dough is doubled and domed, turn it out onto the counter.
• Roll and stretch the dough out to an oblong shape about 1/2-inch thick.
• Lay the flattened dough on the pan and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let rest for 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, coat a small saute pan with olive oil, add the onion, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until the onions caramelize.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Uncover the dough and dimple with your fingertips.
• Brush the surface with more olive oil and then add caramelized onions, garlic, olives, cheese, salt, pepper, and rosemary.
• Bake on the bottom rack for 15 to 20 minutes.