First Attempt at using Nancy Silverton's Focaccia dough recipe 12/10/2011

The Nancy Silverton’s turned out okay. The dough was very soft and could be handled easily. The dough had a great smell before baking. With all the fresh yeast added the final dough does rise quickly, two different times. In the proof in the pans the dough also rose quickly. I forgot to dimple the dough when in the cake pans, but did press the tomatoes, olives, and other ingredients into the dough.


The Nancy Silverton’s focaccia dough did bake well, but if I would have had a choice I think I would have used steel pans for the bake, or a dark colored pan.

The finished crumb was very light and airy. They weren’t any really big air bubbles, but the ones that formed during baking made the crumb light and very tender to eat. The tasted of the crumb was also very good. This morning the leftover slices still are very soft.

When I make this dough again, I would start the sponge later in the day or probably in the evening. As I posted before the sponge wanted to bubble very fast last evening. I had used my mini-measuring spoons for the sponge and use 1/8 teaspoon of fresh yeast in the sponge. I still wasn’t sure if the sponge bubbled enough, but to me it looked like it did. I don’t have any experience with sponges as a preferment.

I still have the small dough ball to try at market for a regular pizza. It will stay frozen until Monday.

If anyone is interested in seeing the links to Nancy’s Silverton’s focaccia and her directions, they are here.

http://learningknowledgetomakepizza.blogspot.com/2011/06/nancy-silverton-of-pizzeria-mozza.html

Norma