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π Secret Easter focaccia with potatoes and more!
Published about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 4 min read
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Easter focaccia with potatoes and more!
Here's a secret focaccia I make often but don't usually talk about: focaccia with thinly sliced and brined potatoes on top.
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This is one of my favorite ways to dress up focaccia, and it's really easy.
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I top it with thin yellow potatoes soaked in a saltwater brine for an hour (or overnight in the fridge). The potatoes turn into chips on top while the focaccia bakes, and they end up with a bit of crunch and lots of flavor.
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I've included a recipe for that below, as well as some more Easter-time inspiration (in addition to the focaccia, of course!).
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Read on!
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In this week's newsletter:
Recipes: Focaccia + potatoes, soft rolls, hop miche, cardamom rolls, babka, hot cross buns
Baking Help: Medium protein bread flour and T85?
Sourdough Links: The secret to making the best sourdough bread
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π Focaccia (with potatoes on top)
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You can use my Simple Sourdough Focaccia or Focaccia Pugliese (double potato!) recipes and then add the drained potatoes to the top of either just after dimpling but before baking.
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Here's how to make the brined potatoes:
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4 teaspoons sea salt
1 liter (about 32 oz) cold water
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and sliced to 1/16-inch thick
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, thyme, or a combination, finely chopped
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Combine the salt and water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve. Add the sliced potatoes. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. Before cooking the pizza, drain the potatoes of the water, dab them all with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to remove excess water, and mix with the olive oil and the chopped rosemary. Spread the potatoes over the shaped focaccia dough in a thin layer. Itβs okay if potato slices overlap a little, and I like to bend and ruffle the pieces so you get crispy edges and a beautiful presentation.
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When the focaccia is done cooking, remove it from the oven and freshly crack black pepper over the top, to taste.
I'm not sure I could recommend a single large loaf for the family gathering more than my recent miche. It's hearty and has layers upon layers of flavors: wheaty, malty, a little sweet, and lots of fermentation notes.
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This is one of my favorite breads of the past few years, I know you'll love it.
These ultra-soft sweet rolls are the perfect dessert for Easter. They're sweet, but not too sweet, and dare I say they go incredibly well with an afternoon espresso.
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I use the tangzhong technique in these to get that super light textureβit's such an easy way to add softness to pretty much anything.
If you've ever had Hot Cross Buns, you'll know what all the fuss is aboutβthey're delicious! Typically made in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and elsewhere, these tiny, gently spiced buns are commonly eaten on Good Friday.
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If you have my cookbook, see my Sourdough Hot Cross Buns recipe on page 388. If you haven't received my cookbook, order it today, and it will be delivered in 1-2 days!
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Hey Maurizio, I hope that you can guide me. After using King Arthur flour for a long time, I purchased Central Millingβs Artisan Bakers Craft Plus (CM ABC) and their type 85 (T85) Malted flour.
Is Bakers Craft Plus used in sourdough recipes for bread flour OR all-purpose flour?
Is type 85 a substitute for recipes calling for whole wheat flour or King Arthur white wheat (now called golden wheat) flour? I wanted to go out of my bread-baking comfort zone and try this higher ash content flour, yet I donβt like very dark, brooding whole wheat loaves either π
I use CM ABC anywhere all-purpose is called for. I often refer to this as "medium protein white flour" because the protein level is in the middle of the road, around 11.5% or so. It's my go-to flour when I need strength at this level, and it's even fantastic for pizza.
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For T85, I see it as a mix of about 60% strong white flour and 40% whole wheat. Yes, you can use it anywhere whole wheat is called for; it'll be a little lighter (in crumb and crust color and loaf aeration). It's fantastic as 100% of the flour for a loaf of bread, too. You'll steer clear of the dark and brooding loaf with that.
I recently added more help to my sourdough starter frequently asked questions pageβif you have a question about your starter, it's undoubtedly here (and if not, reply and let me know your question!).
π What I'm Reading and Listening To
βThe Secret to Make the BEST Sourdough Bread (YouTube). Okay, okay, this is my video. But it's such a helpful walkthrough of the entire bread-making process. If you haven't seen it, check it out!
Want to make bakery-quality sourdough bread from home? Subscribe for the best sourdough guides and recipes to take your bread from ordinary to incredible.
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