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RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

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RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jenise » Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:07 pm

This recipe appeared in Christopher Kimball's Milk Street recently as Tomato and Olive Focaccia. "This recipe recreates the light, open-crumbed focaccia we ate in Bari, Italy. To achieve that texture, the dough must be wet--so wet, in fact, it verges on a thick yet pourable batter. The dough is gently poured and scraped into the oiled baking pan, gravity settles it into an even layer."

It's easy to mix and fun to watch. It starts rising immediately and moves constantly throughout its five hour rise. This is the lava lamp of the bread world!

And texture? I have made various focaccia over the years, but none better. This one is as they describe above, but also super moist yet crunchy. Oh, and I love, just love, this tomato and olive version (liberally sprinkled with oregano, salt & pepper) but of course you can do your own thing. I'm making one today for happy hour with friends and will be using artichoke hearts from a jar (because they don't eat tomatoes or olives). The fact that they're oily wouldn't be an advantage anywhere else but in fact it will be here--this recipe calls for 8 Tblsp of olive oil.

And it's so easy! Using a Kitchen Aid with dough hook, the basic dough takes only a few minutes of initial preparation time. Later, about 5-10 minutes of final prep gets it ready for the oven.

Here you go:

500 grams (3 2/3 cups) bread flour
5 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp white sugar
2 cups water at cool room temp
8 Tblsp olive oil, divided (I found a total of 5-6 sufficient)
1 3/4 tsp salt, divided
1 c cherry tomatoes (I used sugar plums, which are less juicy, and will use two cups when I do this again on Sunday), halved
1 cup castelveltrano olives, pitted and halved
1 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp ground pepper

In a standard mixer with dough hook, mix the flour yeast and sugar on medium until combined, then drizzle in the water. Increase speed to medium and mix until the ingredients form a very wet, smooth dough, about 5 minutes. (Having made this twice now, I found it more effective to add the water by hand to the dry ingredients with a spatula, then put the bowl on the stand for better incorporation.) Turn off the mixer, cover the bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle 1 tsp of salt over the dough then knead on medium until smooth and elastic, about five minutes more. Scrape the dough into a rising bowl coated with 2 tblsp of the olive oil, and dot the top of the dough with the oil that pools up the sides. Coat completely. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand at room temp for 5 1/2 to 6 hours**; during this time the dough will double in volume, deflate, then rise again (but not back to the original double volume).

After the dough has risen for about 4 1/2 hours** heat the oven to 500F with a baking steel or stone on the middle rack (I didn't bother). Mist a 9x13 metal baking pan with cooking spray, then pour 2 tblsps of oil in the center of the pan and set aside.

When the dough is ready (**I found the instructions above conflicting--I called it at five hours, which was perfect both times I made it), scrape the dough into the baking pan with a silicone spatula trying to retain as much air in the dough as possible. The dough will eventually settle into an even layer--do not spread it yourself, as this will kill the gas bubbles.

In another bowl squish the tomatoes lightly with a potato masher and pour off the juice, then season with the remaining salt. Scatter the dough with the oregano and pepper, then lightly press the tomatoes and olive pieces into it. Sprinkle with additional olive oil. Bake at 500F until golden brown, 18-20 minutes. After removing from the oven, let it rest about five minutes before relocating your loaf to a wire rack for further cooling.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jenise » Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:50 pm

Btw, not until I typed the words "9x13 baking pan" did I realize that I've been making mine in a 12x17--I don't have the other size. Works just fine, but doesn't fill the corners.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Barb Downunder » Sat Mar 27, 2021 4:04 am

Query. 5 five! Tablespoons of yeast, crikey.
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jenise » Sat Mar 27, 2021 9:21 am

Barb Downunder wrote:Query. 5 five! Tablespoons of yeast, crikey.


Oh thank god you saw it. Teaspoons, not tablespoons. I've corrected it.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Christina Georgina » Sat Mar 27, 2021 9:41 am

Even 5 teaspoons seems excessive. Slow rises give the bacilli time to produce flavor. Even at 5 t the yeasties go to town and exhaust themselves causing the midway slump. Not sure why this should work but take your word that it does and will give it a try.
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Christina Georgina » Sat Mar 27, 2021 9:54 am

Thinking further, perhaps the fact that the yeast are exhausted and the bulk fermentation continues the bacilli are then able to produce some flavor? This ordinarily happens at lower temps than the yeast multiply but if the yeast are dying then maybe the bacilli can go to town?
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jenise » Sat Mar 27, 2021 9:56 am

Christina, my first thought was similar--that's a lot of yeast for a flat bread! But I guess the high moisture content needs the extra octane. Fortunately, I took a picture of yesterday's bread, this time featuring artichokes not tomatoes or olives, and it should be convincing. This slice was nearer the edge (mine slope since there is more pan than dough so it crowns without a closer rim to stop it, but it's still an inch tall. Proof that the dough is plenty substantive.

focaccia.jpg
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My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Christina Georgina » Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:01 am

That's gorgeous ! Yes, there must be enough yeast still producing gas to make those beautiful pockets. Will give it a go. Love the artichoke topping.
Mamma Mia !
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Robin Garr » Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:15 am

Barb Downunder wrote:Query. 5 five! Tablespoons of yeast, crikey.

I came here to say that. :lol:
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jenise » Sat Mar 27, 2021 11:01 am

Christina Georgina wrote:That's gorgeous ! Yes, there must be enough yeast still producing gas to make those beautiful pockets. Will give it a go. Love the artichoke topping.


Loved it too. These were the previously marinated type, and I cut them up a bit after draining them. The tang of the marinade brought a great little punch to each bite, and the way they browned at the tips was beautiful.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Larry Greenly » Sat Mar 27, 2021 11:29 am

Christina Georgina wrote:Even 5 teaspoons seems excessive. Slow rises give the bacilli time to produce flavor. Even at 5 t the yeasties go to town and exhaust themselves causing the midway slump. Not sure why this should work but take your word that it does and will give it a try.


If you look at it another way, five tsp of yeast is equivalent to only two packets of yeast--which somehow sounds like less. :shock:
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jenise » Sat Mar 27, 2021 11:34 am

Elsewhere in the social media universe, Barb Freda (who I met here) asked me if this was the NYT recipe she had for a leek-potato focaccia. I took a look: no, not quite. Water and flour quantities about the same, but their recipe called for only 2 tsp of yeast--and 20 hours total time. Sounds like a fair trade-off to me--this does not have the empty flavors that a lot of quick breads do.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jeff Grossman » Sat Mar 27, 2021 4:15 pm

That does look really excellent.
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jenise » Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:55 pm

Made it again last night, this time using two packets of quick rise yeast instead of scooping the yeast out of the jar in the freezer--same brand and similar expiration dates (first half 2022). And guess what, where the first two focaccias based on the freezer jar practically jumped out of the bowl before the first 60 minutes of the five hour rise was complete, this one crept up slowly. At two and a half hours I was so worried about it I put it in the warming drawer. It baked fine later, but there was a textural difference. Where the others had had lots of holes with very little space in between--closer to a crumpet than not--yesterday's had huge holes further apart, and finer crumb in the dense parts.

Since everything else was exactly the same, I'm amazed to think the yeast made that much of a difference, presuming that's the explanation. If it didn't, I can't account for the dissimilarities.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Larry Greenly » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:59 pm

I'm guessing the yeast in the freezer is a bit like the time paradox where after traveling to a star near light speed, you come back to Earth and everyone you knew has aged and died, but you're still young. IOW, the yeast in the freezer stopped aging, but the yeast packets didn't and were therefore "older." :mrgreen:
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jenise » Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:50 pm

Larry, I loved that image. From now on, buying my yeast in a jar and keeping it in the freezer!!!!
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Jenise » Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:55 pm

Btw, Larry, this is a good time to tell you how glad I (and everyone else, I know) are that you came back to us! You add so much value to our daily conversations.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: High yeast/hydration Tomato/Olive Focaccia

by Larry Greenly » Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:58 pm

Aw, shucks (foot tracing semicircle in dirt). It's nice to feel wanted. :oops:

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