Focaccia

**Day 1: Create the biga**

1⁄2 C lukewarm water

1/8 tsp yeast

3⁄4 - 1 C flour

• In small mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over water, then mix in flour until a ball forms. The ball

should pull in the flour on the sides and bottom of the bowl. You can leave it as a shaggy ball,

but if you like it neat, turn it out and knead a few times, then return it to a cleaned and greased

bowl.

• Cover bowl & let rise most of the day until the dough peaks and falls. Refrigerate overnight.

**Days 2-3: Make and refrigerate dough**

A: water, room temperature (482g, or about 2 C + 2 Tbl), dried yeast (5g, or about 1 3⁄4 tsp)

B: bread flour (638g, about 5 C), salt (13g, about 1 7/8 tsp), and the biga from the day before

C: olive oil (28g, about 2 Tbl)

• In small bowl, mix A & let sit for a couple minutes to proof. In electric mixing bowl (KitchenAid or

bread machine), stir together B, then add A and the biga and drizzle in C; knead ca. 3-4 minutes

until it is a smooth and elastic dough. (I use the bread machine, but if you prefer, once the

dough is mixed, you can knead by hand ca. 5-6 minutes.) This is quite a wet dough, so don’t be

surprised if it continues to stick.

• Oil an area on the counter and turn out dough onto the oil. Let the dough relax for a few

minutes, then using a bench scraper, stretch-n-fold the dough from all four directions to the

opposite side, forming the dough into a nicely firm ball. Place the ball (folded side down) in a

large, oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature (ca. 68-80°F) for 30

min.

• Repeat that process (turn out onto oiled area – let relax – stretch-n-fold 4 directions into a ball –

return to oiled bowl – cover – let rise 30 min), then refrigerate dough 24-48 hours.

**Day 3 or 4 = Baking Day**

D: olive oil (3-4 Tbl), whatever toppings you’d like: basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley, etc. (2+ Tbl)

E: pinches finishing salt & crushed pepper

F: water, room temperature (1⁄4 C), salt ( 1⁄2 tsp )

• About 5 hours before baking, take the dough out of the refrigerator and turn it out onto an oiled

counter, cover, and let sit for 30 min.

• Repeat the turning process (see above: turn out onto oiled area – let relax – stretch-n-fold 4

directions into a ball – return to oiled bowl – cover – let rise 30 min) three times, for a total

turning/rising time of 2 hours.

• Line a 12”x17” focaccia pan (with at least a 1⁄2” rim) with parchment paper; oil paper and rim of

pan. Turn out dough into the pan, stretching the dough as you pour to help it spread out. Let

dough rest about 5 min, drizzle with D and using oiled fingers, “dimple” the toppings into the

dough while gently stretching the dough to fill the pan as much as possible. (Use fingertips, not

the flat of your hands, and do your best to preserve the air bubbles; it’s OK if the dough doesn’t

reach the corners of the pan; the dough should be about 1⁄2” thick.) Cover the entire pan (I put it

in a bag).

• Let dough rest until it is about 1” thick, which can take anywhere from 1-3 hours.

• Meanwhile, place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat to 500°F (be sure the oven is

at 500°F for at least 5 minutes before you begin baking). Set out E (finishing salt & pepper) and

mix together F in a small bowl (be sure the salt is fully dissolved). Set out a cooling rack.

• Once the dough has risen and just before putting it into the oven, sprinkle with E, then “dimple”

lightly one last time with oiled fingertips and pour F over the loaf, filling the “dimples.”

**BAKE**

500°F 5 min from the time you close the oven door

450°F 15 min (change temperature without opening the door). If necessary for even baking, rotate pan 180° (I don’t do this), then continue.

325°F 15 min until top is lightly golden, the loaf sounds “hollow” when thumped, and inside temperature of bread reaches at least 200° (205 ̊ is perfect).

Remove bread from pan, peel parchment off bottom of loaf, and let cool on rack at least

10 min before cutting/serving.

That’s it – enjoy!