Sunday, May 18, 2008

Grilled Focaccia

Since I was grilling fish tonight for dinner, I decided to try making some bread on the grill. The Grilled Focaccia from The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum looked good and fit the bill. It turned out pretty nice. I think I had the grill a bit too hot as the bottom was really browned, but it tasted good. It's hard to tell exactly how hot a grill is...

Grilled Focaccia

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon AP Flour
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup room temp water
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
kosher salt to taste

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and sugar. Then whisk in the salt, you don't want the salt to come in contact with the yeast or it will kill it. Make a well in the center and pour in the water. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, lightly stir in the flour until all the flour is moistened and a dough begins to form, about 20 seconds. It will be rough looking, but do not overmix.
2. Pour the oil into a 2 cup measuring cup or small bowl. With oiled fingers, place the dough in the cup, then flip over to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes until puffy. Set the dough in the refridgerator for up to 24 hours, remove 1 hour before ready to put in oven. Or leave at room temperature for anouther 30 minutes to an hour, until doubled.
3. With oiled fingers, lift the dough out of the cup. Holding the dough with one hand, pour a bit of the oil on a baking sheet and spread out. Set the dough on top and press down lightly to deflate. Shape it into a smooth round by tucking under the edges. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, covered, to relax. Press the dough out with your fingertips from the center to stretch to a rectangle abut 9x6 and 1/4 inch high. Brush the dough with any remaining oil and cover. Let rest 20-30 minutes.
4. Preheat a grill to 500ยบ.
5. Using your fingertips, dimple the dough at 1 inch intervals. Sprinkle with kosher salt and rosemary.
6. If using a gas grill, turn one side to low. Place the focaccia, still on the baking sheet, on the hotter side of the grill, covered for 2 minutes. Slide a pancake turner underneath to loosen and slip directly onto the grill on the cooler side of the grill for a few seconds. As soon as the brown lines appear, return the focaccia to the baking sheet and move to the cooler side of the grill for 7-8 minutes until the top starts to brown around the edges.

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