ב''ה
This Rosemary foccacia was delicious.
I mixed all the dry ingredients together.
I almost broke our mixer making bread dough once so making bread for me is strictly a hand-mixed affair.
I love these wet doughs.
So, since I was not using the mixer I could not get the consistency recommended by the recipe. I have learned a trick however (from "Artisan Bread Baking" by Maggie Glazer I think) to periodically pull/fold the wet dough until its gluten is worked.
I ended up giving this a five hour rise (while I made the hamentashen).
It poured like Rose said but because I made a double batch and had to divide it, I lost some of the air pockets.
I like a lot of Rosemary on my bread and a lot of hot pepper on my pasta.
First bread.
The second bread. I skipped the salt since I figured there was enough for me in the dough.
I can't believe it's even possible to make this dough by hand (although I guess focaccia was invented before Kitchen Aid). I love the dark brown blisters on top.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this one! This Focaccia is fantastic. Well worth the belly ache I had afterward.
ReplyDeleteב''ה
DeleteO.K., I'll admit to over-eating this a little and having a bit of a belly ache as well… :)
Wow Mendy! I too didn't know you can make such wet dough by hand! Now I know. Did you take a long time to get to the gluten stage by waiting in between the S&F? Your bread looks wonderful! I should have scattered the rosemary leaves like you instead of planting stalks! LOL! There was rosemary flavour but maybe not as intense as if I would have scattered them I suppose. I agree with Kim, worth the belly ache! :)
ReplyDeleteב''ה
DeletePeriodic stretching of the dough through-out the rise was enough to work the gluten. This time I had a long rise but I've done it with 1 1/2 - 2 hour rise as well. You just have to shorten the period of time in between stretches.
In another Rosemary foccacia recipe I made you chop up the rosemary and mix it in dough.
Mendy, your focaccia is absolutely gorgeous! Beautiful pictures. The dough made my Kitchen Aid get so hot I thought it was curtains for sure.
ReplyDeletepretty foccacia! you sure are kick ass for making it by hand.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe you mixed that soupy dough by hand, impressive! Where is the toaster shot?
ReplyDeleteYou must have arm muscles of steel to hand-mix bread dough!
ReplyDeleteLooks like it came out great, no matter the method. Thumbs up on both the rosemary and spicy pasta :)
Hi Mendy: Your focaccia is beautiful! I am going to be making this one often. For some reason my dough rose rose really fast--only about 2 hours. I peeked in and it had completely filled the container. Not that I'm complaining, just surprised! Glad we are going to be baking--if not breaking!--bread together.
ReplyDeleteWow this all looks awesome. I have never made bread or anything like it so really admire your getting such remarkable results��
ReplyDeleteHi Mendy,
ReplyDeleteI stopped by to see you and noticed that my blog in an old one that is not existing now. If you could change it to the one on the list now at the top: Alpha Baker Joan, I think we may be in closer contact. I love the things you say, and bake.