Basil Spiral Focaccia

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

From: viv@tauon.ph.unimelb.edu.au (Viviane Buzzi)  Date: 25 Sep 1995
11:14:38 -0500  Source:   "Focaccia" by Carol Field, (Chronicle Books,
SF) ISBN:  0-8118-0854-8 (hc), 0-8118-0604-9 (pb) Serves: 8 to 10;
Makes one 10  inch focaccia  This focaccia is known as "sfoglierata".
It is fantastic eaten warm  although it keeps for 2 days wrapped in a
plastic bag.  You can gently  reheat slices ... it's better than eating
it cold, although it is OK  cold too.  Whisk the yeast into the warm
water in a large bowl; let stand until  creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir
in the room-temperature water and the  oil. If you are making the dough
by hand, combine the flour and the  salt, add them in 2 additions, and
mix until the dough comes together  well. Knead on a lightly floured
surface for 4 to 5 minutes, let the  dough rest briefly, and finish
kneading for another minute or two.  The dough will be soft and as
delicate as an ear lobe. If you are  using a heavy-duty electric mixer,
use the paddle attachment to mix  the flour and salt into the yeast
mixture until they form a dough.  Change to the dough hook and knead
for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the  dough is as tender as an ear lobe.
FIRST RISE:  Place the dough in a lightly oiled container, cover it
tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour  to
1 hour and 15    minutes.  SHAPING AND SECOND RISE: Turn the dough out
on a lightly floured work  surface and roll it with a lightly floured
rolling pin into a 12 x 18  inch rectangle that is about 1/4 inch
thick.  The dough will roll out  easily and repair easily, if it should
tear. To fill, paint the 2 to  3 tablespoons of olive oil over the top
of the dough - be sure to  brush it thoroughly, even liberally - and
then cover the surface with  a thick carpet of basil leaves. Roll up
the dough from the long end,  like a jelly roll. Oil a 10 x 4 inch
angel-food tube pan very well  and slip the dough into it, seam side
down. Don't be concerned if the  2 ends of the roll don't touch; they
will after the second rise.  Cover the dough with a towel and let rise
until doubled, about 1 to 1  1/2 hours.  Baking:  At least 30 minutes
before you plan to bake, preheat the  oven to 200C/400F with a baking
stone inside, if you have one.  Brush  the top of the "sfoglierata"
with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place  the pan directly on the stone
and bake until golden, about 40  minutes. Let cool for 15 or 20
minutes, then slide the blade of a  long thin knife or spatula between
the "sfoglierata" and the pan  sides and the center tube to loosen it.
Place on a rack. Serve warm.  VIVIANE'S NOTES:  When you cannot get
your hands on fresh basil  leaves, you can use pesto as a filling ...
just make sure that the  filling is not too liquid or it will create a
mess as you roll up the  focaccia.  It is delicious with pesto inside.
I use pesto without the  cheese added. I think a filling of olive
pesto/pate or artichoke pate  would be good too.  REC.FOOD.RECIPES
ARCHIVES  From rec.food.cooking archives.  Downloaded from Glen's MM
Recipe  Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 67
Calories From Fat: 40
Total Fat: 4.5g
Cholesterol: <1mg
Sodium: 817.5mg
Potassium: 118.8mg
Carbohydrates: 3.8g
Fiber: <1g
Sugar: 3.1g
Protein: 3g