Re: [CH]V6 #23 Focaccia

Cameron Begg (begg.4@osu.edu)
Fri, 06 Aug 1999 09:37:03 -0500 

Hi C-H's,

Thanks to Sir Gareth the Chile Knight for typing such detailed 
instructions. I have been making pizza for our family every Sunday 
for more years than I care to tell you about, and it is very 
interesting that while I agree with most of what Sir G (Now wait a 
minute. My son Gavin is "The Green Knight" - but that's another story 
- and quite a long one!) has to say but I have a serious disagreement 
about the dough:

>2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
>1 cup of cake or soft pastry flour (ex. Swan's Down) this is the secret
>ingredient

The flour to use for bread is bread flour. This has a higher protein 
content than all purpose flour. Cake flour has a very low protein 
content (and as such is the flour of choice for thickening sauces 
without producing lumps).

>One bottle of good beer

Patently ridiculous!

Than follows a fairly lengthy process for making what is essentially 
a very simple dough. Here's a much simpler way for making pizza dough:
Do this in the morning.
10oz unbleached unbrominated white bread flour
(If you don't have kitchen scales you can't make this repeatedly with 
predictable results.)
  scant 6 fl oz water
1 dessert spoonful extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 heaped tsp "rapid rise" active dried yeast. (The "rapid rise" stuff 
has a little ascorbic acid in it [Vit C] which you can add to 
ordinary yeast.)

If your house temperature is about 75F use cold ingredients. If it is 
70F warm the flour in a microwave oven (in a plastic bowl) for 22 
seconds. (Don't ask!) Also use tepid water.

Throw the salt in the bowl of your KitchenAid mixer. You just gotta 
have one, but it works fine by hand too. Dump the flour on top. Make 
a well in the center and drop in the yeast. pour the water into the 
well. Using the flat beater by hand incorporate most of the flour 
with the water. Drizzle in the olive oil. Knead the dough with the 
flat beater at the second lowest speed for about 10min. It should 
form a ball, but if it doesn't, unstick it from the beater with a 
spoon and carry on. It will eventually get the message! While it's 
kneading drink a pint (20fl oz) of pale ale.
Put the dough back in the plastic bowl (it should be at least double 
the volume of the dough) and put the lid on. Set it aside until 
evening. Drink many more pints obviously.

> Roll or hand stretch and pat the dough into an 8 - 10 inch circle about one
>inch thick (I make it thinner) on a peel or board sprinkled with a little
>cornmeal.

Wow - are you baking a loaf? I suppose in a way you are. That's the 
difference between focaccia and pizza. The quantities I outlined 
above make two 8-10" crusts for K and me, and one smaller for Gavin. 
They are however thin (bubbly) crust NY style.

Don't waste your money on expensive peels. Make your own out of 
plywood and put a wooden handle on. Cornmeal IS good as a lubricant. 
The cheap Quaker stuff works better than the expensive "organic" 
style.

A flat piece of steel (say quarter inch plate) or cast iron skillet 
beats fancy cooking stones any day. Put in the top of an oven at 
500-510F to warm up. Gas ovens are far superior to electric for bread 
making.

Pinch off a lump of dough (floured hands) and pull and stretch gently 
to form an even disk without holes. This is the only part that 
requires any real skill. Do NOT roll it or you'll squeeze out those 
precious bubbles. Place on your corn meal sprinkled peel and decorate 
as you wish. There is variance of taste even within our little family 
but my favorite stacking order is: tomato goop, mushroom slices 
coated in olive oil, mixed Italian cheeses, and pepperoni  oil cured 
olives and anchovies on top. (That's right. I don't really care what 
you like!)

Slide into oven quickly. Actually this needs a little skill. Try a 
little flick of the wrist but don't dislodge the toppings.

It will bake completely with bubbling golden cheese on top in about 5mins.

You should be able to get most of a pint down.

Eat with your favorite hot pepper flakes, sauces or what ever you 
wish. You might try some chipotle in the tomato goop for a change.

Drink many more pints.

However Gareth, I can see you put a lot of work into this recipe; so 
I'll give yours a shot tomorrow and see what happens. Perhaps you 
could try mine and we could swap ideas?

Have fun.

---
                      Regards,               Cameron.