Baladi Focaccia

• porsi: 1 loaf
• waktu aktif: 1 hr?
• total waktu: 3 days

Bahan-bahan

350g (scant 3 cups) all-purpose flour

200g (1-2/3 cup) whole wheat flour

15g (1 tablespoon) extra-virgin olive oil

15g (4-½ teaspoons) kosher salt

8g (scant 2-½ teaspoons) instant yeast

630g water (2-2/3 cups), room temperature

160g (2/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

55g (1/4 cup) wheat germ, divided

Flaky salt

Petunjuk

Combine the flours, olive oil, salt, yeast, and water in a large container with a tight-fitting lid, or in a large bowl. Stir with a spatula until no dry spots of flour remain. Cover the container with the lid or bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, uncover the dough. Rub some olive oil on your fingers and place them underneath one corner of the dough. Lift and pull the dough to the opposite corner. Repeat with all 4 corners. Repeat the process with all 4 corners one more time. Cover the dough again and let sit for 20 minutes. Repeat this process (folding all the corners twice every 20 minutes) 3 more times for a total 5 complete rounds (the total rest time is 1 hour 40 minutes).

Place the dough in the fridge and let sit for 2 whole days. (I know, I’m sorry. Come on this focaccia journey with me.)

Pour 1/3 cup of the olive oil into a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan and swirl to coat; making sure to get all of the edges. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the wheat germ along the bottom of the pan and slide the cold dough on top. Press the dough down and outwards with stiff fingertips to fill the pan as much as possible. (There may be some empty corners.) Cover the pan with a towel and leave it in a warm place to proof until it is slightly poofy and has filled the pan, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Use stiff fingers to press into the dough, creating uniform dimples across the surface. Top with the remaining olive oil and wheat germ. Season with a sprinkle of flaky salt. Bake the focaccia until the top is deeply golden brown, charred in spots, and crunchy all along the base, about 30 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Catatan

Excerpted from Hello Home Cooking by Ham El-Waylly.

Tip:

You should double this recipe and keep some focaccia in the freezer wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a resealable freezer bag for up to 1 month. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm in the center.

Story:

Bread is called different things throughout the Middle East; most call it khubz. In Egypt, bread is called aish, which translates to “life.”

Aish Baladi is a flatbread found throughout Egypt; it’s like a pita but is made from whole wheat flour and often rests on wheat germ to prevent sticking. It also has the slight tang of sourdough that other pitas do not possess, which sucks for other pitas. What sucks for me, though, is that this bread is nearly impossible to find in NYC, and I am never in the mood to get a sourdough starter going, then form and bake a dozen aish.

So I created this focaccia recipe to satisfy even my wildest aish baladi cravings. A caveat: focaccia recipes are often sold to home cooks as a bread that comes together quickly and easily. This focaccia is definitely easy, but it is not quick. The long fermentation is essential because it gives this focaccia its sourdough texture and allows the proper amount of gluten to develop. Whole wheat flour takes longer to develop gluten, so the high hydration (a.k.a. large volume of water) dough, the multiple folds, and the long proof time all ensure that the focaccia has a nice chew. I cannot brag enough about the perfect, almost custardy crumb texture of this focaccia. It is at its peak 20 minutes after it comes out of the oven, slathered with quality butter, and topped with flaky salt. Make sure to try some then. Any leftovers are great alongside dips or as bread for a sandwich.

Photo credit: Sohla & Ham El-Waylly