Last night we had one of the Boyfriend's former students over for dinner, and while the occasion didn't call for a super fancy meal, I did take the opportunity to spend a leisurely day preparing for dinner. My cooking started with a trip to the Iowa City farmer's market in the morning where I bought three bunches of beautiful kale, three heads of German garlic, a Delicata squash, and five Sweet Dumpling squashes. Once at home, I spent the afternoon making a super rich Chocolate Mocha Cake with a Chocolate Ganache and Espresso Buttercream frosting (recipes adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World). Dinner consisted of:Rosemary Pecan Crusted Seitan with an Herb Gravy
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Garlic Kale with Toasted Pinenuts
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Oven Roasted Autumn Squash
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Rosemary-Thyme Focaccia
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Chocolate Mocha Cake
with Chocolate Ganache and Espresso Buttercream
While I didn't take the picture of the focaccia immediately, I did make sure that there was some photo documentation of the dessert masterpiece.
Voila!
The filling includes chocolate ganache and the espresso buttercream.And, since the focaccia was so delish, I thought I'd share the recipe. It's from the Baking Illustrated cookbook which, if you don't already know, is hands-down one of the best baking books out there and one that I use all the time. Everything I've ever made from it is wonderful. So, without further ado, here's the recipe. Enjoy!
Rosemary Focaccia
DOUGH
1 medium baking potato (about 9 ounces), peeled and quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
cooking spray
TOPPING
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (or 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt)
1. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a small saucepan; add the potato and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes well; cool until it can be handled comfortably; press it though the fine disk on a ricer or grate though the large holes on a box grater (I use the ricer method). Reserve 1 1/3 cups lightly packed potato.
2. Meanwhile, using a standing mixer or food processor (this is all a breeze with a mixer), mix or process the yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup warm water until combined. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Add the remaining dough ingredients, including the reserved potato (but not the cooking spray). If using the mixer, attach the paddle and mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium; continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. For the food processor, processor until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 40 seconds.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until the dough is puffy and doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
4. Use the cooking spray to generously oil a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet. With wet hands (to prevent sticking), press the dough flat into the pan. If the dough resists going into the corners, cover it with a damp cloth and let it relax for 15 minutes before trying to stretch again. Or, if making rounds, halve the dough and flatten peach piece into an 8-inch round on a large (at least 18 inches long), generously oiled baking sheet. Either way, cover the dough with a lightly greed or oil-sprayed plastic wrap (don't neglect this step, it prevents the plastic from sticking to the dough, which it will do if you don't oil it); let rise in a warm, draft-free area until the dough is puffy and doubled in volume, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. With two wet fingers, dimple the risen dough at regular intervals. The dimples (there should be about two dozen) should be deep enough to hold small pieces of topping, herbs, and pools of olive oil.
6. Drizzle the dough with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle evenly with the rosemary and coarse salt, landing some in the pools of oil.
7. Bake until the bottom crust is golden brown and crisp, 23-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm. (Focaccia can be kept at room temperature for several hours and reheated just before serving. Or wrap cooled focaccia in plastic and then foil, and freeze fro up to 1 month; unwrap and defrost in a 325-degree oven until soft, about 15 minutes)
Note: You can make this with all sorts of variations, such as with different herbs, adding Parmesan, olives, tomatoes, whatever. Just be sure to always include the potato in the focaccia dough. It's the secret to keeping the bread soft and moist on the inside.
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
cooking spray
TOPPING
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (or 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt)
1. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a small saucepan; add the potato and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes well; cool until it can be handled comfortably; press it though the fine disk on a ricer or grate though the large holes on a box grater (I use the ricer method). Reserve 1 1/3 cups lightly packed potato.
2. Meanwhile, using a standing mixer or food processor (this is all a breeze with a mixer), mix or process the yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup warm water until combined. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Add the remaining dough ingredients, including the reserved potato (but not the cooking spray). If using the mixer, attach the paddle and mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium; continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. For the food processor, processor until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 40 seconds.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until the dough is puffy and doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
4. Use the cooking spray to generously oil a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet. With wet hands (to prevent sticking), press the dough flat into the pan. If the dough resists going into the corners, cover it with a damp cloth and let it relax for 15 minutes before trying to stretch again. Or, if making rounds, halve the dough and flatten peach piece into an 8-inch round on a large (at least 18 inches long), generously oiled baking sheet. Either way, cover the dough with a lightly greed or oil-sprayed plastic wrap (don't neglect this step, it prevents the plastic from sticking to the dough, which it will do if you don't oil it); let rise in a warm, draft-free area until the dough is puffy and doubled in volume, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. With two wet fingers, dimple the risen dough at regular intervals. The dimples (there should be about two dozen) should be deep enough to hold small pieces of topping, herbs, and pools of olive oil.
6. Drizzle the dough with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle evenly with the rosemary and coarse salt, landing some in the pools of oil.
7. Bake until the bottom crust is golden brown and crisp, 23-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm. (Focaccia can be kept at room temperature for several hours and reheated just before serving. Or wrap cooled focaccia in plastic and then foil, and freeze fro up to 1 month; unwrap and defrost in a 325-degree oven until soft, about 15 minutes)
Note: You can make this with all sorts of variations, such as with different herbs, adding Parmesan, olives, tomatoes, whatever. Just be sure to always include the potato in the focaccia dough. It's the secret to keeping the bread soft and moist on the inside.
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