Garlic Rosemary Focaccia
Garlic Rosemary Focaccia
Posted by bettyboop50 at recipegoldmine
com May 9, 2001
3 whole heads garlic, not cloves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 scant tablespoons or 2 (1/4 oz)
packages active dry yeast
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 cups warm water, 105 to 115 deg F
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal, for pans
2 tablespoons crushed fresh rosemary
leaves or 2 teaspoons dried
Coarse salt, optional
Preheat oven to 400 deg F
Separate garlic head into cloves and peel
Add olive oil in a small heavy saucepan, add garlic, cover and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, or until softened but not browned
Remove from heat and strain
Set oil aside to use later
When cool, cut cloves into lengthwise slivers and set aside
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water
Add 1 cup of unbleached flour and stir thoroughly
Let sit for 15 minutes or until mixture is filled with tiny bubbles
Add 2 tablespoons of reserved garlic oil and 1 more cup of unbleached flour and all of the whole wheat flour and salt to the yeast mixture
Beat vigorously with a dough hook or a heavy sturdy spoon for 2 minutes
Gradually add more of the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough forms a mass and begins to pull away from sides of bowl
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead, adding more flour a little at a time as necessary for 8 to 10 minutes, or until you have a smooth elastic dough and blisters begin to develop on surface
Place dough into an oiled bowl
Turn to coat the entire ball of the dough with oil
Cover with a tightly woven kitchen towel and let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size
Sprinkle a well greased 13 x 18-inch baking sheet with cornmeal
Turn dough onto an oiled work surface
With the heel of your hand, flatten dough into an 11 x 16-inch rectangle
Lift dough onto baking sheet
Using hands, press dough into corners and edges of baking sheet
Flattening dough with hands rather than a rolling pin will give the irregular texture associated with focaccia
Cover dough with towel and let rise 20 minutes
Sprinkle top of dough with rosemary and the slivered garlic
Using fingertips, make indentations in dough about 1/2 inch deep and 1 inch apart, to give a dimpled effect
As you do this, press garlic slivers into dough to keep them from falling off or over cooking
Cover dough with towel and let rise an additional 20 minutes
Place a shallow pan on lower shelf of oven and heat up
Drizzle remaining garlic oil over top of focaccia
Use a brush to pat the oil over the entire surface, allowing any excess to pool in the indentations
Sprinkle with 1 to 2 teaspoons of coarse salt
Put 1 cup of ice cubes in the heated shallow pan in the oven
Immediately put the focaccia in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until pale gold
Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack
It is best eaten slightly warm or at room temp
NOTE: you can substitute parmesan cheese for the salt, or use both
Leave a Comment