Comment on Why are they different shapes?

• FiniteBanjo@feddit.online ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  That waffle thing sounds chewy and bitter, idk if I’d try that.

  Easy dinner bread, focaccia

  Dough:

  • 3 cups flour and a little extra
  • 1 cups water and a little extra (I recommend distilled or filtered water over tap)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (I don’t trust Italian brands) or unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Choice of Yeast: either 1.5 to 2 tsp of Active/Instant Dry Yeast from a brown glass jar or you can just use a fistful of sourdough starter.
  • Optional Spice Mixture: 2 tsp total from a mixture of 2 parts garlic powder (not salt), 2 onion flake/powder, 1 rosemary, 1 thyme, 1 oregano, 1 parsely, 1 sage

  Wear gloves, mix all ingredients by hand. Repeatedly flatten, press fingers into, roll up, and repeat until dough is mostly homogynous, smooth, and with slightly glossy texture and very little stickiness. If the dough is stratified and not smooth, then its not enough water. If it’s too sticky, not enough flour. I appreciate having a second person available to add flour so I don’t have to remove my gloves or spread dough on utensils and cups.

  Place a wetted smooth cloth such as a cheesecloth or other kitchencloth over the dough. You have to rise and knead the dough twice before shaping on a pan with parchment paper and thin coat of oil. Depending on your choice of yeast it will take different amounts of time to rise. Instant dough can be kneaded every 30 minutes and then shaped on pan should double in size after about another hour. Active is every hour then two hours. Sourdough starter varies from strain to strain but it can usually be left overnight before shaping and then rise for half an hour.

  I personally like to fill this bread with mozzarella and tamed jalapenoes, like the more traditional focaccia, by spreading it out during shaping, covering one side, folding and pulling the edges over to keep it shut. It also goes well with curry or with beans and corn.

  Preheat oven to about 400F.

  For a thin crust, beat an egg with a small amount of water, maybe a tablespoon, and apply the egg wash to the risen dough and every 10 minutes while cooking. After about 30 to 40 minutes when the top crust of the bread becomes a dark color, not just golden brown but dark, prepare another different wet cloth. Remove the bread from the oven and place the wet cloth over the top for 10 to 15 minutes.

  You can skip the egg wash and second cloth, and the bread will actually last longer without spoiling when it has less moisture. Breads and pastries can be safely frozen and thawed, as well, but I recommend against refrigerating because it will cause the moisture in the bread to condensate and spoil.

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