{"id":3464,"date":"2013-06-07T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-06-07T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=3464"},"modified":"2013-06-06T18:57:10","modified_gmt":"2013-06-06T18:57:10","slug":"focaccia-al-mais","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/focaccia-al-mais\/","title":{"rendered":"Focaccia al Mais"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just outside Pontremoli there\u2019s a bakery that makes a delicious focaccia al mais<\/strong> (cornmeal focaccia). As much as I\u2019d like to buy it fresh every day, it\u2019s not practical for me and Geoff, because we live in a tiny little village 10 km north of Pontremoli, in the opposite direction from the bakery. So, as I\u2019m already used to making my own bread at least once a week, I decided to try and make my own focaccia al mais. After a few experiments I came up with quite a satisfactory version, which Geoff likes a lot, and I\u2019m going to share this recipe with you:<\/font><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ingredienti:<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nIngredients:<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
200 gr di farina di mais <\/font><\/td>\n200 grams of cornmeal <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
250 gr di farina tipo 0 <\/font><\/td>\n250 grams of plain flour <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1,5 cucchiaini di sale <\/font><\/td>\n1.5 teaspoons of salt <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1,5 cucchiaini di zucchero <\/font><\/td>\n1.5 teaspoons of sugar <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15 gr di lievito di birra fresco <\/font><\/td>\n15 grams of fresh yeast <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
150 ml di acqua <\/font><\/td>\n150 ml of water <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2 cucchiai di olio extravergine d\u2019oliva  <\/font><\/td>\n2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sale grosso <\/font><\/td>\ncoarse sea salt <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
extra olio per spennellare <\/font><\/td>\noil for brushing <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Preparation:<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

In a big mixing bowl I mix the two flours together with salt and sugar, and make a well in the centre. Then I mix two third cold water with one third boiling water to get the right lukewarm temperature. I pour the water in the well that I made in the flour, add the olive oil, and then crumble the yeast into it. I first work the ingredients with a wooden spoon, and then with my hands, kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. It takes about ten minutes.<\/font><\/p>\n

I dust the mixing bowl with a bit of flour, put the dough in it, and cover it with a tea towel, then wrap everything up in a small blanket or a bath towel to rest for about an hour to rise. Oh yes, I must remember to put a baking tray or the bread board on top of the mixing bowl otherwise one of our six cats, usually Smokie, thinks that I\u2019ve made a nice snuggly bed for him to rest on!<\/font><\/p>\n

After about an hour I warm up a baking tray (I use a rectangular tray), and dust it with a sprinkle of flour or cornmeal. I knead the dough for another couple of minutes, then roll it out quite thinly, about one cm thick, and lay it in the baking tray. I cover the tray with the mixing bowl turned upside-down in order to stop the cats from laying on it, and wrap it up in the blanket once more for another forty minutes.<\/font><\/p>\n

Fifteen minutes before baking the focaccia, I light the oven to 240\u00b0C (450\u00b0F). When it\u2019s time to bake the focaccia, I use my fingertips to make indentations on its surface. In a small cup I mix a little water with a little olive oil and then brush this generously over the focaccia (this is a trick that my friend Annalisa taught me). Finally I sprinkle some coarse sea salt over it. I put the baking tray in the oven on the bottom rack and lower the temperature to 220\u00b0C (425\u00b0F), leaving it to cook for 25 to 30 minutes. I transfer the nice golden focaccia onto a wire rack to cool down before enjoying it with some nice ricotta or pecorino cheese.<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Just outside Pontremoli there\u2019s a bakery that makes a delicious focaccia al mais (cornmeal focaccia). As much as I\u2019d like to buy it fresh every day, it\u2019s not practical for me and Geoff, because we live in a tiny little village 10 km north of Pontremoli, in the opposite direction from the bakery. So, as…<\/p>\n

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