Pan Pizza

Focaccia Dough (Makes 1 pan)

1 tablespoon

1 oz

0.5 oz

28 g

14 g

Olive oil

Olive oil (for stretch and folds)

5

2 tablespoons

1 oz

28 g

Olive oil (for greasing the pan)

2 tablespoons

1 oz

28 g

Olive oil (for dimpling)

37 oz

1,064 g

Total

1. In a mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add all the water and stir with a large spoon, or use the paddle attachment and mix on slow speed for 30 seconds to form a coarse dough. Increase the speed to medium (or continue mixing with the spoon or wet hands) and mix for another 30 seconds to make a wet, sticky dough. It will seem too wet to form a cohesive dough at this stage. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to hydrate.
2. Increase the mixer to high speed (or continue mixing by hand) and mix for another 30 seconds to make a smooth, sticky dough. It should have the texture of pudding, but offer a little resistance when pressed with a wet finger.
3. Use 2 teaspoons of olive oil to make a 15” diameter oil slick on the work surface. Rub some oil on a plastic bowl scraper and use the scraper to transfer the dough to the oil slick. Stretch and fold (s&f) the dough as shown in the demo. Cover the dough with a bowl and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then, repeat the stretch and fold (you can rub an additional teaspoon of olive oil on the work surface, as needed). Again, cover the dough, let it rest for 5 minutes, and repeat the stretch and fold. Cover with the bowl and again let it rest for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, prepare a sheet pan (or cake pans) by lining it with baking parchment or a silicon baking liner. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the center of the pan (2 teaspoons for cake pans) and spread it to oil the surface and also the inside walls of the pan.
4. Perform one final stretch and fold to make a smooth ball of dough. The dough will have firmed up after each s&f and will now be very soft and supple, somewhat sticky, but firm enough to hold together when lifted. Transfer the whole dough to the center of the oiled sheet pan (or divide it into 2 or 3 equal size pieces for cake pans, as describe in the note below). Rub it with olive oil, press it down to flatten as much as it will allow, and slip the whole pan into a plastic bag or cover it with plastic wrap. Immediately, place it in the refrigerator to slowly ferment overnight, or for up to three days. (Note: you can, instead, ferment the dough in an oiled, covered bowl or container, and pan it on the day of the bake.)
5. On the day you plan to bake, follow the steps for “dimpling,” as shown in the demo, and prepare the toppings for the type of focaccia you have chosen (see herb oil recipe below).
6. To bake, allow the dough at least 3 hours to rise at room temperature after it has been dimpled to fill the pan. After the final dimpling, spread about ½ to ¾ cup of herb oil over the surface (if using, optional). Raise with the herb oil on top. When the dough reaches the lip of the pan, bake it in a preheated 500 degree F. oven on the middle shelf for 8 minutes (425 F. if using a convection oven). Rotate the pan and bake for another 7-9 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If using Parmesan cheese, remove the pan from the oven when it looks done, sprinkle about 1 to 1 ½ cups grated cheese over the top, return to the oven for 2 minutes, and then remove it from the oven.
7. Transfer the focaccia from the pan to a cutting board and allow to cool for 2 minutes before cutting and serving.

Herb Oil (for 1 pan of focaccia)

½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon rosemary needles

¼ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon granulated garlic powder

Pinch black pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to tast)

(Note: you can also use 1 tablespoon of any pre-blended commercial Italian herb mixture, if you have it, in place of the basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. OR you can use 3 tablespoons of fresh herbs, coarsely chopped)

--Whisk all the ingredients together and taste with a small spoon (be sure to whisk the salt to the surface, as it has a tendency to sink). Adjust salt, pepper, and herbs to taste. Keep any unused herb oil in the refrigerator, where it will be good for a few weeks.