Hey Everyone,
I'm new here and am just getting into bread baking. Got Rose Levy Beranbaum's Bread Bible for my birthday. I made her herbed focaccia recipe this past weekend using fresh basil from my garden and it was amazing!
While the taste was great, the shape was a little wonky because I didn't shape it in a pan--just used my hands and baked it on a stone. What's the best method here--buying a small rectangular pan around 7" x 10" or just learning to shape it better with my hands?
Looking forward to learning much from fellow bakers.
Thanks!
let it proof in the pan
happy baking
I've baked focaccia on a stone, with the help of parchment paper, and I've used a pan. Admittedly, using a pan can be easier for proofing and the end result looks better to some folks. However, if you're not baking it to sell and going to be eating the focaccia right away, then appearance really doesn't matter much. There probably won't be any evidence left over so don't worry. As long as your focaccia tastes good, it is good.
I do my focaccia on perforated baking sheets, so I can spread it out nicely and then not have to disturb it after it's proofed. I dimple it all over and drizzle with olive oil and various herbs (or other things). I've got a recipe I really want to try that has fresh grapes pressed into the surface of the focaccia - sounds wonderful! Anyway, it's so much easier to then just pop it in the oven (on top of the stones) rather than trying to transfer a large, flat, soft, floppy risen dough onto stones.
Thanks, guys! I appreciate the advice. :-)
I've only ever proofed/baked focaccia in a pan. I use a lot of EVOO in the pans and more on top right before baking, so without the pan I think it would get really messy really quickly. But I guess you could also cut back on the oil and bake it on a stone. It would be delicious either way, I just always think of focaccia as being a little oily.