Parsley and sun dried tomato Focaccia bread
Baking bread is something I have still not mastered and I keep trying. The two main problems I face are temperamental yeast and inadequate kneading. Coming to an extremely cold place has compounded the yeast problem.
But I didn’t give up. In the process I burnt a towel!!! What!!! Bread and towel you say!!
The normal day time temperature in this place is about 3 degrees. You can very well imagine what it does to the proofing of yeast. I have tried all sorts of things. Made a tent of my dupatta under the sun, wrapped in foil, put in a warmed oven etc but to no avail. My dough simply wont rise.
In the evening we have to put on keroheaters or we will simply freeze. They make the room quite warm and cozy. So I made the dough, covered the bowl in a thick towel and kept it overnight near the keroheater. The dough doubled beautifuly. For the second proofing I got greedy. I kept the whole towel bundle on top of the kero heater and soon I could smell something burning. Turned out it was my towel!!!
Anyways the towel incident aside my dough rose beautifully and I baked a beautiful Focaccia bread.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp yeast
½ cup lukewarm water
1 tsp sugar
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbsp sundried tomatoes
Few sprigs parsley, chopped
A pinch of sea salt
Mix the sugar and lukewarm water. Sprinkle the yeast over it and let it bubble. I always use instant yeast which can be mixed directly into the flour. However I prefer proofing the yeast first to ensure that the dough will rise.
Mix together flour, salt and olive oil with your hands. Add the yeast mix and knead well for at least 10-15 minutes. The dough will be a bit sticky. Now grease a bowl well. Also oil the dough so that it doesn't stick to the bowl. Cover with a cling film and leave to double.
At this point I had to leave it overnight because of the extreme dip in temperature.
Once it has doubled punch it back and put it in a baking dish. I used a springform pie dish. Spread it with your fingers. Sprinkle sliced garlic, chopped parsley and sun dried tomatoes on it.
Cover and keep for another 20 minutes for it to proof again.
Preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius. Bake the bread for 20 minutes.
Baking bread is something I have still not mastered and I keep trying. The two main problems I face are temperamental yeast and inadequate kneading. Coming to an extremely cold place has compounded the yeast problem.
But I didn’t give up. In the process I burnt a towel!!! What!!! Bread and towel you say!!
The normal day time temperature in this place is about 3 degrees. You can very well imagine what it does to the proofing of yeast. I have tried all sorts of things. Made a tent of my dupatta under the sun, wrapped in foil, put in a warmed oven etc but to no avail. My dough simply wont rise.
In the evening we have to put on keroheaters or we will simply freeze. They make the room quite warm and cozy. So I made the dough, covered the bowl in a thick towel and kept it overnight near the keroheater. The dough doubled beautifuly. For the second proofing I got greedy. I kept the whole towel bundle on top of the kero heater and soon I could smell something burning. Turned out it was my towel!!!
Anyways the towel incident aside my dough rose beautifully and I baked a beautiful Focaccia bread.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp yeast
½ cup lukewarm water
1 tsp sugar
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbsp sundried tomatoes
Few sprigs parsley, chopped
A pinch of sea salt
Mix the sugar and lukewarm water. Sprinkle the yeast over it and let it bubble. I always use instant yeast which can be mixed directly into the flour. However I prefer proofing the yeast first to ensure that the dough will rise.
Mix together flour, salt and olive oil with your hands. Add the yeast mix and knead well for at least 10-15 minutes. The dough will be a bit sticky. Now grease a bowl well. Also oil the dough so that it doesn't stick to the bowl. Cover with a cling film and leave to double.
At this point I had to leave it overnight because of the extreme dip in temperature.
Once it has doubled punch it back and put it in a baking dish. I used a springform pie dish. Spread it with your fingers. Sprinkle sliced garlic, chopped parsley and sun dried tomatoes on it.
Cover and keep for another 20 minutes for it to proof again.
Preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius. Bake the bread for 20 minutes.
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