Focaccia Ugh
I cannot get this right! The focaccia I made this weekend was bland, flat, chewy, gross. I can't bring myself to throw it out, but I'm going to have Todd do it.
I think the flavor is easy to remedy: add more salt. And I was pretty optimistic about the texture, too. The dough was really sticky, but it had this nice, bubbly look to it. I think the problem might have been that the recipe called for a lot of sauteed vegetables scattered over the top, which didn't let the bread rise in the oven at all (and may have flattened it a bit). The edges were nice, though kind of hard (I think I cooked it too long to try to get the top that was under vegetables to be more brown and less pasty-white).
Should I try this recipe again? Or give a different one a try? Does sticky dough sound right?
Comments
I've noticed that even restaurant focaccia with a lot of veggies on it tends to be soggy and doughy. Less Is More. If you want veggies make pizza. (She said, never having baked with yeast in her life.)
But kudos to you for trying.
Posted by: Alice | June 28, 2004 10:09 PM
I think somewhat sticky or tacky dough is what focaccia dough is supposed to be like before you bake. My family in Italy, when not baking totally plain focaccia (plain except for salt and rosemary on top), plants a few cherry tomatoes here and there in the dough, but nothing else. So, why don't you try making the dough and baking it solo, and then roasting the vegetables separately and serving them with (on top or beside or inside) the focaccia after the baking?
Posted by: Luisa | June 29, 2004 10:01 AM
That is a terrific suggestion, Luisa. I really think the dough would have been right with a few alterations, and the veggies smelled good on their own, too.
Posted by: Kim | June 29, 2004 10:17 AM
Luisa's suggestion is great. I make a "Cuban Pizza" with a not-so-home-made crust and it works best if I bake the dough for about 5 minutes first. I add the toppings and then bake for another 10. That way the center is cooked but not browned and the edges have a chance to get crisp. Wes doesn't complain so it can't be that bad.
Good luck next time (and yes, there should be a next time) :)
Posted by: Sandra | June 30, 2004 11:17 AM