WHY KNOCK BACK THE DOUGH?
Folding the dough several times allows it to stay moist by turning the bottom over the top, which has dried out a little. A drier, more rigid surface would block further rising, like a crust.
MAKES 380 G
(FOR 1 FOCACCIA)
6 g fresh baker’s yeast, crumbled
140 g tepid water (no more than 25°C)
220 g plain flour
4 g salt
pinch of dried oregano
60 g extra-virgin olive oil
1 Put, in order, the yeast, water, flour, salt and oregano into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Knead for 5 minutes at low speed, then for 10 minutes at medium speed. Return to low speed and incorporate half the oil.
2 Preheat the oven to 30°C. Transfer the dough to a large, round-bottomed bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and put in the oven for 30 minutes for the first rise. Remove the bowl from the oven. The dough should have doubled in volume. Knock it back in the bowl. Cover again with the tea towel and return to the oven for 30 minutes for the second rise.
3 Flour your hands then, on a lightly floured work surface, form the dough into a ball. Place the dough ball back into the bowl and cover with the tea towel. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
4 Remove the dough from the bowl using a dough scraper, and place it on a lightly floured work surface, then place it between two sheets of baking paper and roll it out using a rolling pin to a thickness of 5 mm and the dimensions of your baking sheet. Line the baking sheet with baking paper and place the dough on top with the help of the rolling pin. Cover again with the towel then return to the oven for 30 minutes at 30°C. The dough should have increased to one and a half times its original volume.
5 Slide the baking paper with the dough onto the work surface. Preheat the oven to 250°C with the baking sheet inside, and slide in an empty baking dish at the bottom of the oven. Form indents in the dough with your fingers, about 2 cm apart, without piercing the dough all the way through. Brush with some of the remaining olive oil using a pastry brush. Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven, toss a little water into the empty baking dish to create steam, then close the oven door immediately. Slide the baking paper, with the dough, onto the baking sheet. Place in the oven and toss more water into the baking dish. Leave to bake for 10–15 minutes.
6 When it comes out of the oven, brush the focaccia with any remaining olive oil.