The Wonders's Focaccia

It was a long time since I wanted to try a recipe about a high hydration and cold leavened focaccia. 

A few weeks ago an Instagram friend of mine shared with me a very interesting recipe created by Chef Roberto Petersen and so I decided to take a cue for my focaccia! 

The result? Beyond all my expectations! 

Here is the recipe! It's easy, within everyone's reach, it doesn't require master baker's skills ... but just patience! 

I suggest you start the process in the evening in order to eat the focaccia the next day, leaving the whole night for the longest leavening.

Ingredients

650 g manitoba flour

650 g warm water

5 g yeast (fresh or powder)

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250 g Manitoba flour

20 g Extravirgin Olive Oil

30 g salt

STEP 1 

In a bowl put the warm water and the yeast, mix well with a spoon and let stand for 8 minutes. 

In another large bowl, add the water with the yeast to the flour using two spoons instead of your hands to mix the ingredients. The mixture must be uniform and creamy, a white baby food in short! 

Why do we use spoons and not hands to work the dough? In order not to get trapped in the dough which is currently 100% hydrated. 

I recommend carefully choose the bowl for the dough as the latter will rise doubling its volume. 

Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for 12 hours. 

After this time the dough will have risen and there will be nice bubbles on the surface. 

STEP 2 

Add another 250 g of flour to the leavened dough until it is completely absorbed, then proceed with the addition of salt and olive oil. The mixture must be very hydrated, smooth and shiny.

STEP 3 

The folds! 

Let's wet our hands (to be able to manage our dough), lift the dough which will immediately stretch downwards and fold it on itself (imagine folding an A4 sheet in half). 

This operation must be repeated 4 times every 20/25 minutes. 

The rest time between leavening must take place at room temperature and the dough must always be covered. 

Once the series of folds has been used up, put the dough directly into the pan in which we will bake the focaccia (the pan must be covered with greaseproof paper or well oiled and dusted with flour). 

STEP 4 

Here we are at the last rising, always at room temperature and for 4 hours. I did it in the oven off. 

STEP 5 

Now we have fun with our hands! 

After 4 hours the dough will be leavened again, with the help of your fingers spread it on the surface of the pan and contextually form the classic focaccia holes ... I recommend you delicately, otherwise we will deflate it! During this operation air bubbles may form on the surface of the dough ... that's fine! 

Before baking the focaccia, put some extra virgin olive oil on the surface.

STEP 6 

Baking: hot oven (230 C / 450 F static) for 20 minutes, then 10 minutes at 180 C / 360 F. 

Each oven cooks in its own way ... so let's keep an eye on the focaccia which must be golden! Crispy on the outside and tender, as well as full of fantastic holes due to leavening, on the inside! 

Excellent on its own, as a base for cheeses and cold cuts, hazelnut or peanut creams and fabulous stuffing! 

So indulge yourself and tell me about your combinations! 

In the remote hypothesis in which you have a piece of it left, just heat it in the oven a few minutes the next day!