On a happier note, I recently made a batch of homemade focaccia, which is an Italian yeast bread that is very similar to a deep-dish pizza crust. This flatbread is thought to have been made by the Ancient Greeks, or the Etruscans living in Italy before the Roman Empire. The name is derived from "panis focacius", which refers to a flat bread cooked on a hearth or under ashes from a fire. Originally, this bread was cooked by either of those methods, then punctured with a knife to allow the bubbles to escape. Now, the top of the bread is dotted with fingertips before it is placed in the oven; olive oil is drizzled onto the surface of the bread to prevent it from drying out.
2 1/2 cups (unbleached) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. salt
1 package instant yeast
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 cup warm water
Topping(s) of your choice
1.) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2.) Place the flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl, then stir to combine. Create a well in the middle of the flour mixture, then add the oil and warm water. Mix to create a slightly shaggy dough.
3.) On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it becomes elastic. Oil another large mixing bowl, then add the dough and turn to coat in the oil; cover with plastic wrap. Sit the bowl in a warm place, and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
4.) Cover a baking sheet with foil, then add a little bit of olive oil and coat the foil. Then, punch down the dough to force out some of the air, and stretch it into a rectangular shape on the baking sheet. Be careful not to force the dough or tear it! Dimple the surface of the dough, then allow it to rise again for 45 minutes. Once the dough has been rested, drizzle the dough with olive oil, then add the toppings of your choice.
5.) Bake the bread for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the dough to cool for about 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. Then, enjoy!!
I picked up a package of unbleached all-purpose flour from my local grocery store, although at the time, I hadn't really given much though to why. It sounded like it should be healthier for me (I feel as though I probably shouldn't be eating anything that's been in contact with any sort of bleaching agent - Clorox comes to mind, although obviously that's not what is used.). When wheat is ground to make flour, it has a natural yellowish tint to it; once it is exposed to air for a period of time, the pigment naturally oxidizes to a white color - this is unbleached flour. In order to make the flour even whiter, the flour is then exposed to benzoyl peroxide or chlorine gas to turn it even whiter.
I was very surprised to learn that the nutritional value of bleached and unbleached flour is actually the same; the only real difference is that unbleached flour has more protein in it, making it a better choice for breads and doughs that need gluten in them. So, before you toss out your regular all-purpose flour, I'd suggest that you keep it around for batters and pastries! For the focaccia toppings, I'd suggest dried herbs and sea salt (simple really is best here); if you are going to use fresh herbs, I'd suggest adding them at the end of cooking so that they don't burn.I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and try it out - let me know how the results turn out!
Sources:
http://suite101.com/article/the-italian-flatbread---focaccia-a295419
http://www.abigailsbakery.com/bread-recipes/history-of-focaccia-bread.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/533356-nutrition-of-bleached-vs-unbleached-flour/
