Sarah Howlett, Executive Pastry Chef of Formento’s
Formento’s West Loop
925 W. Randolph St. Chicago, IL 60607
Check Out:
Happy Hour: Monday through Friday from 4:30pm – 6:00pm
– $1 Oysters
– $10 Spritzes
– $9 Wine
– $8 Bites
Recipe:
Formento’s Focaccia
Ingredients:
– Flour
– Water
– Yeast
– Olive oil
– Kosher Salt
– Pepper
Focaccia Poolish (To be made night before):
1⁄2Cup+1Tbsp—- ColdWater
1⁄2 Cup + 1⁄3 Cup —– Bread Flour, sifted then leveled Tiny pinch Active Dry Yeast
Focaccia:
All Poolish
3⁄4 Cup + 1 Tbsp Water
1⁄4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
2 Cups -Bread Flour, sifted then leveled 1⁄2 tsp—Black Pepper, ground
2 1⁄2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (1 1⁄2 tsp if using Morton Kosher) 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp–Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Vegetable Oil, Ground Black Pepper and Maldon Sea Salt for topping Night Before:
A poolish is a specific type of starter: it is 1:1 water to flour starter.
In a mixing bowl, add cold water (filtered is best, tap is ok too), yeast, and flour into the bowl, stir with a spoon (or a clean hand!) until the mixture is combined yet lumpy and no dry flour remains.
Lightly cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight Mixing Day:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add cold water, yeast, and all of the poolish.
Turn on the lowest speed and mix until the poolish dissolves in the water.
Stop the machine and add your bread flour and black pepper and mix on a low speed (speed 2 on a kitchen aid) for 3 minutes.
Stop the machine, add all of the salt and turn back on to low speed. Drizzle in the oil at a slow pace.
Once the majority of the oil is mixed in, turn the mixer up to medium speed (speed 6 on a kitchen aid) and mix for 7 minutes. Dough should have pulled away from the sides of the bowl and be tacky, not sticky, to the touch.
Pour a small amount of oil and rub it into the bottom of a clean mixing bowl. Turn dough out into it and lightly cover with plastic wrap.
Leave dough alone to proof for one hour in a warm area.
Fold 1: Cup dough from right side, and lift to stretch and fold over in half towards the left. Repeat on other side. Press down in the center. Cover again and proof for one hour.
Fold 2: Cup dough from right side, and lift to stretch and fold over in half towards the left. Repeat on other side. Press down in the center. Cover again and proof for one hour.
At this time preheat your oven to 450F
Go Time: Pour 1 Tbsp of oil (use vegetable or canola oil) in the bottom of an 8 Inch metal cake pan and spread it to cover. A light coating is what you want – anything heavier will leave you with a soggy crust.
Add your dough to the pan and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes (near, but not on, your oven is good for this).
Drizzle vegetable/canola oil generously on the dough. Dimple with your fingers across the top. Oil will pool in the dimples. Sprinkle with ground black pepper and Maldon sea salt (kosher is fine in a pinch).
Proof in a warm place for another ten minutes. Place in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
After the first ten minutes, drop the temperature to 400F and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the top is golden brown and/or the inside registers 200F on a thermometer.
Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.
