The Epic Sourdough Pocaccia Bread Recipe

Kevin and Jacques like to bake bread (like this pocaccia bread recipe) with the wheat harvests from the Epic Homestead, and there’s a very good purpose for that. There may be nothing fairly as uniquely satisfying as having fun with the literal fruits of your harvest… or, on this case, berries, as wheat produces seeds known as wheat berries that may later be floor into flour for baking contemporary, whole-wheat bread.

However bear in mind, this can be a crew spearheaded by the Potato Daddy himself. After the entire onerous work that Kevin and Jacques went by means of to reap, dry, and thresh the wheat, additionally they harvested some nice Yukon Gold potatoes, good fats leeks, large heads of garlic, and a number of contemporary herbs from the homestead. With a hand-raised sourdough starter delivered by Kris, Epic Gardening’s Head of Buyer Expertise, it was time to assemble a potato-leek focaccia bread… or “pocaccia”!

As soon as all of the elements had been at hand, Kevin and Jacques went to work and produced a really scrumptious complete wheat focaccia recipe that everybody can get pleasure from. You don’t technically have to reap, thresh, and mill your personal wheat to make it (though we’ll actually affirm that it’s extremely satisfying when you do!) However even when you choose to make use of store-bought complete wheat flour, we will affirm that this “pocaccia” is properly price your effort and time as a result of it’s savory, satisfying, and so, so good.

Epic Sourdough Pocaccia Bread Recipe

Elements

• 100g energetic sourdough starter (starter that has doubled after feeding)
• 10 g kosher salt (roughly 3 tsp)
• 440 g water, ought to be no less than room temp. If utilizing contemporary flour, begin with 400 g water.
• 500g flour (This generally is a mixture of bread, all-purpose, complete wheat, and/or freshly milled)
• Flaky sea salt or kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 medium-sized potato
• 2 heads of garlic, roasted within the oven till smooth
• 2 medium leeks
• Herbs for seasoning (thyme, rosemary, sage, or no matter you’ve gotten!)

Instructions

1. Place the starter, salt, and water in a big bowl and stir till it’s largely dissolved, then add flour and blend it in utterly. NOTE: When utilizing contemporary flour, you’ll need much less water as it is going to absorb the water extra successfully.

2. After permitting the dough to sit down for no less than Half-hour, attempt to fold it by pulling up the edges and tucking it into the middle of the dough. This offers the gluten some stretch permitting it to carry collectively higher. The dough shall be shaggy and sticky, so don’t attempt to over-add further flour. 

3. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it everywhere in the dough. Don’t go loopy with oil right here, as we shall be including extra later. Cowl the dough with a towel and place someplace heat (ideally 70ºF/21ºC) for about 4-8 hours. If it’s chilly, it is going to take longer to double, and if it’s heat it is going to double sooner. It doesn’t need to be actual, however simply make sure that it roughly doubles. This course of depends upon numerous components, so it’s inconceivable to be actual – you must wing it a bit!

4. As soon as the dough has doubled, you may prep a steel baking pan by pouring 2 Tbsp. of oil into the pan. Tilt the pan to unfold it throughout the complete floor. If you’re utilizing a glass dish as an alternative of a steel pan, apply butter to all inside surfaces of the glass dish as it is going to cling to the glass higher and forestall the bread from sticking later. As soon as buttered, add 2 Tbsp. oil into the glass container as you’d have with the pan and tilt to unfold it throughout the underside

5. Add a few tablespoon of olive oil to the focaccia dough. When you’ve got flavored oil, use this to offer it a taste enhance. Deflate the dough and scoop it out of the bowl and place it onto your baking dish. Fold the dough just a few instances till it kinds a tough rectangle form within the middle of the dish. Make it possible for the seam out of your folds is facedown within the pan so the dough spreads properly. 

6. Make certain your dough is oiled up after which enable it to rise for an additional 4-6 hours. You need the dough to fill out the tough form of the baking dish. For this step, Jacques likes utilizing a seedling warmth mat to assist velocity issues up, which may get it to rise in 2-4 hours as an alternative. 

7. At this level when you haven’t began to roast your garlic, roast it whereas the dough finishes rising. You need the garlic totally roasted and squishy to the contact.

8. About Half-hour earlier than the dough is nearly accomplished rising, set your oven to 425ºF to preheat. 

9. Now it’s time to prep your toppings, which could be just about something. After all, we aren’t simply making focaccia; we’re making Pocaccia! Pull out a medium-sized Yukon gold potato and shave it into skinny slices that may cook dinner rapidly because the bread bakes (we advocate half-moons sliced on a mandolin for perfectly-even slices). Minimize your leeks into small rounds. Mix the potatoes, leeks, and herbs in a bowl, and squeeze out the entire roasted garlic into the bowl. Combine the elements properly, ensuring the garlic is unfold throughout all of the sliced potatoes. That is additionally time so as to add seasonings like salt and pepper (to style). 

10. Get some oil in your arms after which begin dimpling and stretching the dough out so it utterly coats the underside of the pan. You’ll really feel the dough squish and deflate as you do that. Depart some dimples on the floor of the dough when completed. Drizzle just a little extra olive oil throughout the dimpled dough, after which evenly unfold your potato combination out throughout the highest of the dough. End with a hearty sprinkle of salt. 

11. Place the pan within the oven and bake for 25-Half-hour. Test to ensure it’s totally cooked earlier than you’re taking it out of the oven. The sides ought to be browned and seem crispy. The potatoes ought to be totally cooked. On this case, it’s higher to let it cook dinner for five minutes further than to undercook it. Take away from the oven and let it relaxation for no less than 10 minutes, as it will make eradicating it from the pan simpler.

Slice your bread up and benefit from the savory, garden-fresh style of pocaccia victory!