A hesitant dimpler, is that a thing?

 

This summer has been a bit crazy.  Trying new recipes has been on the back burner since we have been traveling and dealing with all sorts of crazy stresses.  We had our intern at church coming for dinner so I decided to give some Pesto Focaccia a try since we are swimming in basil.  If only our tomatoes would be ready at the same time!  My kingdom for ripe tomatoes!

This focaccia recipe was very simple to follow and easy to do the folds.  Sure it takes some time 4 folds every 15 minutes but set a timer and you are good - it's not hard.  I used bread flour and also had it in the oven with the oven light on to give it an extra warm place to sit.  Even though it was 90+ degrees outside - the A/C was on, so it needed cozy place.  I made my own pesto with basil, walnuts, olive oil and garlic.  I probably used too much....Ok for sure used too much, but it sure was delicious and tasted like summer.  I probably also could have dimpled harder... I was a hesitant dimpler, is that a thing?  It is now!

Pesto Focaccia

Ingredients

510g (2 cups plus 2 Tbsp) lukewarm water

2 teaspoons instant or active dried yeast

560g (4 ½ cups) all-purpose flour or bread flour with a protein level of at least 11%

1 ½ teaspoon fine salt

Toppings

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

60g (1/4 cup) basil pesto

Flaky salt

Instructions

In a large bowl combine the yeast, lukewarm water, flour, and salt and mix together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to create a wet and well-combined, shaggy dough ball. If using active dried yeast, let it dissolve in the lukewarm water for 5 minutes before mixing it with the rest of the dough ingredients.

Leave it to sit for 15 minutes before applying 4 sets of stretch and folds spread out over an hour, one set every 15 minutes (though this timing isn't set in stone, don't worry if it's less or more!) Use wet hands when doing this or the dough will stick to you!

A stretch and fold method is when one side of the dough is stretched up and pulled over itself. The bowl is then turned and this move is repeated on the following side.

Continue stretching and folding and turning the bowl until all sides have been folded. That is one set of stretch and folds.

The first set of stretch and folds will be very shaggy and the dough will rip easily. As the folds are carried out over the next while, the gluten structure is created and the dough gains strength.

Drizzle the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan with a generous amount of olive oil. You can line the pan with parchment paper as well if you think your pan might stick. Transfer the dough into the oiled pan. Leave it to sit and rest for 5-10 minutes, then use oiled fingers to spread and stretch the dough out into the skillet. If the dough resists stretching out, give it a rest and try again in a few minutes.

Let the dough rise at room temperature for around 1-1.5 hours until it has just doubled and it jiggles when the pan is shaken. How fast the dough rises will depend on the temperature. It's always best to watch the dough and not the clock. Don’t let let it rise too much or the dough can become too fragile and deflate.

Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.

Dollop spoonfuls of basil pesto over the dough. Drizzle a little olive oil over your fingers and use your fingers to spread the pesto out over the dough. Then use oiled fingers to create deep dimples on the top of the dough, pushing all the way down. Do this all over the bread. Sprinkle with flaky salt.

Bake the focaccia for 25-30 minutes until puffed and deep golden brown and the bread pulls away from the edges of the pan. If the pesto starts browning too much on top, loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil.

Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it sit for 3-4 minutes. Carefully remove it from the skillet or tray, then let it cool further on a wire cooling rack before serving.