Mini Loaf Pan Focaccia
The "folding" method here is called the Slap and Fold technique in the YouTube video, linked above. The dough still may be shaggy looking or imperfect in Step 8 but should bake up just fine.
You can play around with sprinkling with herbs (thyme, etc), adding cheese (asiago, parmesan), sautéed garlic and/or onion, etc.
Total time: Allow 3 to 3-1/4 hours to prep, bake, and cool.
According to Very Well Fit, this recipe has 2 servings, and has nutrition per serving: 272 calories, 5.3g fat (.08g saturated), 971g sodium, 48.9g carbs (1.9g dietary fiber, 2.7g total sugars), 11mg calcium, 3mg iron, 94mg potassium.
4. Switch to a bowl scraper or spatula and begin folding the dough over itself, rotating the bowl as you go until the dough is cohesive and no lumps or dry spots remain. The dough is still very sticky and somewhat shaggy at this point so do the best you can — just keep folding for about 30-60 seconds until the dough is somewhat in the shape of a ball.
Ingredients
120g flour, sifted to aerate it (about a cup)
5g Kosher salt (close to a teaspoon)
5g sugar (close to a teaspoon)
90g = 90ml lukewarm water at 95-100 degrees F (about 1/3 cup)
10g olive oil (about 2-1/4 tsp)
3g instant yeast (or quick rise; 1 tsp)
Cooking spray (olive oil or vegetable oil)
Preparation
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, salt, and sugar.
2. Make a large, shallow well in the center and add the warm water.
3. Sprinkle yeast on top, let bloom for 30-60 seconds, and then add oil, using a fork or small spatula to stir the liquid in the center and slowly incorporating flour from the sides of the bowl until a wet, sticky dough forms. NOTE: If the dough seems too dry, add more olive oil, 1 tsp at a time.
5. Cover the dough tightly and let it rest 15 minutes in a slightly warm area (eg oven with its light on). If possible, have a small dish if steamy water in the same environment.
6. Then prepare a small or medium bowl of water and, with a damp hand, scoop the dough up, slap it down in the bowl, and fold it over itself (see original link in Notes). Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the folding process 4-8 times: the dough may feel like it has tightened up slightly, depending on your sensitivity. Wet your hand as needed so the dough doesn't stick to your hand. The dough may still look like a wet, rough or shaggy ball; it might be a bit less floppy and a bit less sticky than in Step #4 above, or it still might be very wet and sticky.
7. Cover tightly and let it rest 15 minutes, with steamy water nearby if possible.
8. Repeat the folding process one last time (4-8 folds, turning the bowl after each fold). The dough will still be pretty squishy and sticky. It may or may not be a bit smoother, tighter, and have more structure to it than the earlier sets of folds in #4 and 6 above. (Liz’s wasn’t and it still turned out fine!)
9. Grease a loaf pan lightly with olive oil, going up about an inch on the sides, then drizzle in approximately 1 Tbl olive oil. Using oiled fingers, transfer the dough from the bowl to the pan, then gently stretch/press the dough into a loose but cohesive rectangle shape. Resist the temptation to spread it: it won't reach the edges of the pan yet -- that comes later.
10. Cover and let rise at room temperature (70°-75°F) for 1 hour. (Letting it rise in a warmer environment works a bit better, Liz found)
11. After an hour, the dough should have increased slightly in size and will have filled out more of the pan. Oil your fingers and gently but firmly dimple and stretch the dough into all the corners of the pan. Using your first and second fingers (shaped like a peace sign), press your fingers down into the dough until they hit the bottom of the pan, then spread your fingers out. It's okay if you tear the dough in a few places.
12. Add another drizzle of olive oil, cover again, and let rise for another 30 minutes until the dough is airy and bubbly and has filled in the bottom of the pan. Prepare any dried herbs and seasonings you’ll be sprinkling on the prepared loaf.
13. During the final 5-10 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position. (If your loaf seems to be rising slowly, and if you have a stand-along oven with stovetop, place the loaf pan on top of the preheating oven so the yeast benefits from the residual heat.)
14. Right before placing the bread in the oven, drizzle a little more olive oil, sprinkle lightly with flaky salt and sprinkle the surface of the dough with coarse/flaky sea salt (almost always a must), herbs, or any toppings/seasonings of your choosing (like this one, just don't add too much salt on top of it), and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. If after 20 minutes it's still looking pale, bake for an additional 5 minutes.
15. Remove from the oven and if needed, run a knife around the edges to loosen the dough and turn it out onto a cooling rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing/tearing. NOTE: To keep the crunch and texture, don’t reheat; just serve at room temperature.
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