Best Regards small-batch focaccia
Makes the Poolish
½ cups (3.6 ounces) unbleached flour
7 tablespoons (3 ounces) warm water
Pinch of active dry yeast
In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, water and yeast with whisk or fork. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let rest overnight on counter to ferment.
Focaccia, Day 2
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (6 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons (½ cup) warm water
¼ teaspoon (3 pinches) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Using a stand mixer fitted with the standard mixing paddle, mix poolish with flour, water, yeast, salt and olive oil on low speed. On medium speed, continue mixing until a stringy dough forms, about 6 minutes; the dough will be very wet.
Form a ball and place the dough in large bowl or deep cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
On a clean surface, stretch and fold each of 4 sides all the way over on itself. Cover dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Repeat the process of stretching and resting 3 more times. The dough will stiffen a bit more each time which means you’re developing the gluten in the dough. Large bubbles will appear, and this is a good thing!
To assemble the focaccia: Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil on bottom of an 8 x 8-inch brownie pan or other novelty shaped pan.
Gently place the dough in bottom of pan and dimple with your thumbs.
Dress the top of the dimpled dough with anything you want – including basil pesto, fresh spinach leaves, olives, pepperoni (avoid wet tomatoes) — and finish with a handful of shredded Parmesan cheese.
Allow dough to rise 20-40 minutes in a warm place to proof until dough is jiggly.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bake focaccia for about 15-18 minutes until the top is slightly browned.
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