Healthy Cooking for Kids by Shelly Null

Author:Shelly Null
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

NOTE

• This dip can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Carmela’s Authentic Focaccia

Preparation time: 15–20 minutes to prepare, 2 hours to rise, 35–40 minutes to bake

Yield: 6–8 servings

When I decided to create a whole-grain version of focaccia, help arrived in the form of Carmela D’Lia, who had been making this kind of bread in the Bronx for decades. So off I went to discover her secrets, and this recipe was born. This focaccia is versatile enough to make a perfect addition to lunch boxes, family dinners, and parties too. The dough is unique—buttery and delicate on the inside, and crunchy on the outside.

DOUGH

2½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for oiling the pan, plus ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon

2 tablespoons or 2 packages active dry yeast (½ ounce)

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm pure water (105°F/40°C)

3¼ cups unbleached bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus 1–3 tablespoons for rolling the dough

3⁄4 cup whole-wheat flour

1½ teaspoons sea salt

OTHER COMPONENTS

12–13 large cloves garlic, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried parsley

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1. Lightly oil a 10 × 15-inch baking pan with 2½ tablespoons olive oil. Set aside. Cover a wire rack with paper towels and set aside.

2. To prepare the dough, in a small bowl, combine the yeast and water. Stir together until well blended and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until slightly foamy.

3. In a large bowl, combine the 3¼ cups unbleached bread flour, 3⁄4 cup whole-wheat flour, and sea salt. Whisk together until well mixed. Make a well in the center, and pour in the yeast mixture and remaining oil (¼ cup at a time). Starting from the center, stir with your hand until all the flour is incorporated into the dough.

4. Turn the dough out onto a slightly floured surface, and knead (using the heel of your hand) for about 8–10 minutes, or until the dough is pliable and elastic. Sprinkle a little flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the surface. You should now have a soft, workable dough.

5. Place the dough into a lightly oiled medium bowl, turning it once so the surface is coated with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

6. Transfer the sticky, elastic dough to the prepared baking pan and stretch outward to cover as much of the bottom as possible. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place until well puffed, about 45–55 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

7. Dimple the top all over vigorously with your index fingers. Press the garlic cloves about 1 inch into the dough (½ to 1 inch apart). Drizzle on the 2 tablespoons olive oil so that it will collect in pools on top of the dough. Evenly sprinkle with the basil, parsley, oregano, and salt.

8. Bake the focaccia on the lowest oven rack, for 35–40 minutes or until the crust is golden.

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