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Foccacia




Source of Recipe


crust & crumb, peter reinhardt


List of Ingredients




7 cups (960 grams) bread flour
1 tbsp. salt
½ tsp. instant yeast
½ cup olive oil (can use ½ vegetable, ½ olive oil)
2 tbsp. honey
4 cups (960 grams) poolish
½ cup cool water


Recipe



Mix everything together, on slow for 1 minute, then on medium for about 12 minutes. Dough will be sticky, but should clean the sides of the bowl. It should feel neutral to the touch (78° - 80°).
Place in a greased bowl, turn to grease the top of the dough and enclose the bowl in a large plastic bag, let rise about 3 hours, until it swells noticeably (it won’t double though).
Punch down – if you’re going to add raisins or grapes, add them to the dough now – and press in pan (the dough will fit a commercial, 16 by 24 sheetpan, as most home – ovens can’t hold such a pan you may want to divide the dough between 2 or 3 sheetpans, press it out to about ½ inch thickness).
You won’t be able to press it out at the first attempt, press a little, let dough relax a little and press again. I sometimes need to repeat that 5 times, but it’s better than to tear the dough while pressing too hard. I use the wet hands method, meaning I don’t flour my hands but dip them in cold water from time to time. This was in Peter’s book as well and I use it for all sticky doughs. Works great!
Dimple dough a couple times with your fingers and rub with olive oil.
Place sheetpans in clean plastic bags and let rise one hour, then put them in the refrigerator overnight (w/o toppings).
I usually bake mine after about 2-1/2 hours rising, because I always lack refrigerator space.
If you’ve refrigerated the pans, remove them from the fridge 2 hours before baking.
Preheat oven as high as it will go (550°). Spread toppings on foccacia, cheese should be added after half the baking time or it’ll burn. Place pans in the oven, after 5 minutes turn the heat down to 425° ( 210°C) and bake 25-30 minutes more, until top is golden and springy.
Let the foccacia cool in the pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board. Let it rest 5 minutes more before slicing and serving.