My coworker Lee had found this nifty flour that actually had pesto in it. I hummed and hawed (is that how you spell that? I’ve only ever said it before) about what can I make. Obviously bread was on my mind but did I want to make focaccia? I looked up some recipes online then I looked at the flour some more. There was actually a recipe on the side of it so I gave in. I had to make some adjustments due to it calling for pork fat but I think it turned out grey. This recipe make 4 small loaves, each about 9 inches in diameter and 1.5-2 inched thick. While you could definitely make pizza dough out of it it has such a nice flavor its great with just olive oil or as a sandwich bread.
Pesto Focaccia
- 2.2 lbs /1 kg of pesto flour
- 2 cups + 2 tbsp of warm water
- 5 tsp each of yeast and salt
- 2 +1/2 tbsp olive oil
Method
Preheat oven to lowest setting for 5-10 minutes then turn off.
In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients and form a well in the centre. Add warm water and oil to well of flour and combine with hands. Knead for 5 minutes on a flat surface. Clean out the same bowl and oil the sides. Add dough to bowl and place in warm oven. Make sure the oven is off and if needed crack the door a bit. Let rise for about 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and pat down on a flat/floured surface with fingers until hey are about 10″ in diameter. Dap with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let rise for another hour to hour.
Preheat oven to 430F and let dough rest until the oven is ready 15-30 minutes. Oil a pan and carefully transfer 2 loaves at a time. Bake for about 10-15 minutes depending on your oven temperature. You do not need to super brown this bread, it’s prettier when it’s not browned as you can see the slight green color.
Remove form the oven and bake the other two loaves while the first two cool. If you are going to make a sandwich I would wait until the loaf is cool to the touch. I made a amazing sandwich with fresh tomatoes, romaine lettuce, truffle flavored cheddar cheese and some mayo, salt and pepper.
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