My nephew called up to tell me he was coming over to my place with his cousins and friends at night. Young adults are best to practice your art of cooking and feeding on. They clean up everythings that you make and you feel so nice to see no leftovers.
On this day I chose a simple menu of soup and 2 kinds of focaccia. Then just as a back up I also made Valachi Khichadi. You never want to run short of food with entusiatic youngsters around.
This is a lovely focaccia perfect with soup. It had a nice crunch and was full of flavors of garlic, thyme, chilli and olives.
It also meant a great chance to try the new powerful instant yeast that Apolina sent me with this friendship package. There is more that is coming up with the rest of the ingredients. Thank you!
Recipe reference: The Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons heaped instant yeast (Bruggenman)
1 teaspoon sugar
1.5 cups warm water
0.5 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup sliced olives
Toppings
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons Olive oil
1/4 cup sliced olives
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons red chilli flakes
15 cloved garlic chopped
In a medium bowl measure out the warm water and add sugar to it. Sprinkle the yeast on top and leave it to bubble up for 10 mins.
On the counter measure out the flour. Make a well in it. Add the bubbly yeast liquid in the center. Mix well and knead to form a smooth dough. Add the olive oil and knead well to make a shiny smooth dough. Oil a large bowl and keep the dough to proof for atleast an hour or till it doubles.
Meanwhile, drain 1/2 cup of sliced olives and blot them on a kitchen towel.
This Bruggeman yeast is fantastic! The first proofing was thready airy and I'm surely loving it.
Once the dough is doubled, turn it out on a lightly floured counter. Incorporate half of the sliced olives and knead with a light hand.
Divide the dough into 2 balls.
Prepare two 9X11 baking trays. Put one ball in each and spread the dough on it. I let it rise the second time in the fridge so its Ok even if it looks really thinned out dough on the tray. It rose to a beautiful cushion by morning and ready to be baked.
After spreading the dough, for one tray top with Olives. Sprinkle the red chili flakes and the dried thyme, fresh would be really wonderful. Spread the chopped garlic evenly.
Now dimple the dough to create pockets for the oilve oil.
Drizzle the oilve oil.
Sprinkle the salt.
Cover with cling film and keep it in the fridge overnight.
Save the other tray for another type of focaccia. Cover the flattened and dimpled dough with cling film and put it away in the fridge for proofing over night. Following in the second post...
Save the other tray for another type of focaccia. Cover the flattened and dimpled dough with cling film and put it away in the fridge for proofing over night. Following in the second post...
I do this often to get a fresh baked bread on the next day. It gives me extra time to do other things when I am entertaining.
Next morning remove the trays and let them come to normal temperature for 10 mins till the oven preheats at 180 deg celcius.
Bake for 30-35 mins.
This turned out a nice crunchy focaccia not to mention it looked pretty too.
Looks delicious and pictures are very pretty! Inspired to bake some, even though I don't eat much bread. Once again, lucky brothers of yours.
ReplyDeleteET it was the nephew and his gang who got lucky this time. Since you don't eat much bread halve the quantities and make only a single focaccia. Store it is the fridge and eat it over time.
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