Focaccia/free-form loaf/pizza

1 HOUR 30 MINUTES + OVERNIGHT MIXING + PROVING A LITTLE EFFORT

This recipe makes enough dough for two focaccias, two free-form loaves or four to five pizzas. Turn the page for the next steps.

POOLISH strong white bread flour 150g fast-action dried yeast 1/8 tsp STARTER sourdough starter 1 tbsp strong white bread flour 35g DOUGH strong white bread flour 450g, plus extra for dusting wheat germ 50g, toasted (see cook’s notes) extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp fine sea salt 15g THE NIGHT BEFORE

Make the poolish by mixing the bread flour and dried yeast with 150ml of warm-tothe-touch water in a large bowl. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight. Mix the sourdough starter with the strong white bread flour and 35ml of warm-to-the-touch water in a bowl, cover and leave at room temperature overnight.

MAKING THE DOUGH

The next day, to make the dough, pour 350ml of warm-to-the-touch water into a bowl and add the poolish and starter. Mix gently with your fingers to disperse, then tip in the flour and mix really well to combine. Cover and leave for 30 minutes-1 hour (this is the autolyse stage). Tip in the toasted wheat germ, extra-virgin olive oil, fine sea salt and 2 tbsp more warm-to-the-touch water and mix well until fully incorporated.

BULK FERMENTATION

Leave the dough covered with a tea towel for 2-3 hours, disturbing every 45 minutes (so 4-5 times in total) to ‘stretch and fold’ the dough. Take one side of the dough (being careful not to tear it) and fold it over on top of itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, doing this 6-8 times. The dough will tighten and become less slack. Every time the dough is turned it should have more air bubbles, and will feel much lighter towards the end of the process.