Belokranjska Pogaca Bread Focaccia Recipes

FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2-cup warm water and honey; let stand for 5 minutes. Add flour, 1/4 cup oil, salt and remaining 3/4-cup water; mixing until smooth (dough will be wet). Scrape the sides of the bowl clean; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., Preheat oven to 425°. Brush a 13x9-in. baking pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Gently scrape dough directly into pan. With oiled hands, gently spread dough. If dough springs back, wait 10 minutes and stretch again. Make indentations in the dough with your fingers. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; let rise until doubled in size, 30-40 minutes. , If desired, sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares; serve warm.

BELOKRANJSKA POGACA (BREAD, FOCACCIA)

Steps:

• Mix yeast with 1-2 teaspoons of honey and 0.1l lukewarm water and a teaspoon or two of flour. Wait untill it rises (about 10 minutes).
• Mix the risen yeast with flour and add 1-2 beaten eggs, salt and water as needed to make a nice medium firm silky textured dough (for special occasions water can be replaced with mixture of sour cream and milk - be careful that either water or cream/milk mixture isn't cold or hot). I also suggest that you dissolve the salt in a little water before adding.
• Leave it to rise in a warm place (but not too warm) for aprox. half an hour, sometimes more. If you add more oil or cream or eggs the time to rise the dough prolongs. As I make it it usually takes about 45 minutes.
• Put the risen dough on a floured surface and gently beat it to fit the baking plate. You should get a 1.5 -2 cm thick dough. If you have a smaller oven or baking plate it will probably make two pogaca breads. Traditionally it is round shaped, but you can adapt it to your baking plate.
• Take a knife and carve squares half deep into the dough.
• Dampen the surface with a mixture of 1 beaten egg and a tablespoon milk - use a brush.
• Sprinkle with salt and cumin.
• Leave it for up to 10 minutes if you want the bread to be a little bit higher or bake it immediately in the oven at 200C for about 20 - 30 minutes untill nice golden brown.
• On different occasions you can enrich the Belokranjska pogaca with cheese (sprinkle small dices on top instead of cumin) or some dry meat (smoked ham -- ). The pogaca is also sometimes made with onions which are cut in small, fried untill brown, cooled down then mixed into the dough (step 2).