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1
Remove the poolish from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough to take off the chill.
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2
Stir together the flour, salt, and yeast in a 4-quart mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer).
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3
Add the oil, poolish, and water and mix with a large metal spoon until the ingredients form a wet, sticky ball (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment).
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4
If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon in cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand (see page 56).
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5
Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further.
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6
Do this for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
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7
If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough.
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8
The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl.
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9
You may need to add additional flour to firm up the dough enough to clear the sides of the bowl, but the dough should still be quite soft and sticky.
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10
Sprinkle enough flour on the counter to make a bed about 6 inches square.
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11
Using a scraper or spatula dipped in water, transfer the sticky dough to the bed of flour and dust liberally with flour, patting the dough into a rectangle.
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12
Wait 5 minutes for the dough to relax.
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13
Coat your hands with flour and stretch the dough from each end to twice its size and fold it, letter style, over itself to return it to a rectangular shape, as shown on page 138.
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14
Mist the top of the dough with spray oil, again dust with flour, and loosely cover with plastic wrap.
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15
Let rest for 30 minutes.
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16
Stretch and fold the dough again; mist with spray oil, dust with flour, and cover.
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17
After 30 minutes, repeat this one more time.
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18
Allow the covered dough to ferment on the counter for 1 hour.
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19
It should swell but not necessarily double in size.
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20
Line a 17 by 12-inch sheet pan with baking parchment and proceed with the foccacia shaping and panning instructions on page 162, adding any pre-proof toppings at this time (see page 167).
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21
Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap.
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22
Proof at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until the dough fills the pan.
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23
About 15 minutes before baking, drizzle on more herb oil, if desired (you can use all of it; the dough will absorb it even though it seems like a lot), and dimple it in, as well as any pre-bake toppings (page 167).
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24
This should allow you to fill the pan completely with the dough to a thickness of about 1/2 inch.
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25
Let the dough relax for 15 to 30 minutes before baking to allow the gas to build back up.
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26
It will rise to almost 1 inch in thickness.
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27
Preheat the oven to 500F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.
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28
Place the pan in the oven and lower the oven setting to 450F.
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29
Bake for 10 minutes.
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30
Rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the dough begins to turn a light golden brown.
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31
If using any during-bake toppings (see page 167), sprinkle them on at this point and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes or so.
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32
The internal temperature of the dough should register above 200F (measured in the center) and the cheese, if using, should melt but not burn.
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33
Remove the pan from the oven and immediately transfer the focaccia out of the pan onto a cooling rack.
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34
If the parchment is still stuck on the bottom, carefully remove it by lifting the corner of the focaccia and peeling if off the bottom with a gentle tug.
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35
Allow the focaccia to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing or serving.
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36
Poolish Focaccia %
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37
Poolish: 167%
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38
High-gluten flour: 100%
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39
Salt: 4.2%
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40
Instant yeast: 1.4%
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41
Olive oil: 25%
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42
Water: 50%
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43
Total: 347.6%
