Pizza Today_February 23 - 21

O
h, focaccia! How I love thee.
Focaccia holds a lot of meaning for me.
In the last two years, focaccia has been
the one thing that has taught me the
most. It has been the one item that I
have gone back to time and time again
tweaking my recipe, tweaking my procedure,
tweaking how I sell it and, in
turn, learning a lot about myself as an
entrepreneur and who I want to be as a
pizzaiola in this world. It has provided
a back-to-basics learning lesson and
taught me how to manipulate fermentation
and the final product. Like pizza,
there is bad focaccia, good focaccia, and
great focaccia. But even bad focaccia is
good and serves a purpose. The versatility
of focaccia, like any bread product, is
only limited by your creativity.
Depending on where you are and
who you ask focaccia changes a bit,
but in my experience the " standard "
for focaccia is as follows: made in a
rectangular pan, mid to high hydration,
shorter fermentation times,
pillowy in texture with a slight crisp
on top and bottom and slathered
in olive oil. In terms of the interior
crumb structure, I most often find
that focaccia is made up of smaller
bubbles and many of them as opposed
to giant bubbles and fewer of
them like you see in ciabatta bread, although
this is ever changing as more
and more people learn to bend the
rules and challenge tradition.
One of the things I love about
focaccia is the approachability of it.
Having worked in restaurants for
almost two decades and taught countless
people how to make pizza, one of
the common things for beginners is
fear of handling dough. Everyone is
afraid of tearing dough or mishandling
it or making it imperfect, and that fear
skyrockets as hydration goes up or
the dough gets older and warmer to
the touch. By putting dough in pans,
this fear tends to lessen. By placing
harder-to-work-with doughs in pans,
it's easier for employees and novices
to learn how to handle dough since
there are distinct borders to contain it
and the shape is controlled so " messing
it up " happens less. Even holes or
small tears can be rectified more easily.
Focaccia is thicker and isn't stretched
thin and topped with wet sauce and
heavy toppings that compromise any
thin areas, so any small hole will be
less obvious once it is baked.
The best piece of focaccia to me
is one that is covered in great olive
oil, but not sopping wet. One that
is topped minimally or just lightly
dusted with salt so you can taste the
dough separately from the olive oil

http://www.univexcorp.com http://www.univexcorp.com

Pizza Today_February 23

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today_February 23

Pizza Today_February 23 - CT1
Pizza Today_February 23 - CT2
Pizza Today_February 23 - Cover1
Pizza Today_February 23 - Cover2
Pizza Today_February 23 - 3
Pizza Today_February 23 - 4
Pizza Today_February 23 - 5
Pizza Today_February 23 - 6
Pizza Today_February 23 - 7
Pizza Today_February 23 - 8
Pizza Today_February 23 - 9
Pizza Today_February 23 - 10
Pizza Today_February 23 - 11
Pizza Today_February 23 - 12
Pizza Today_February 23 - 13
Pizza Today_February 23 - 14
Pizza Today_February 23 - 15
Pizza Today_February 23 - 16
Pizza Today_February 23 - 17
Pizza Today_February 23 - 18
Pizza Today_February 23 - 19
Pizza Today_February 23 - 20
Pizza Today_February 23 - 21
Pizza Today_February 23 - 22
Pizza Today_February 23 - 23
Pizza Today_February 23 - 24
Pizza Today_February 23 - 25
Pizza Today_February 23 - 26
Pizza Today_February 23 - 27
Pizza Today_February 23 - 28
Pizza Today_February 23 - 29
Pizza Today_February 23 - 30
Pizza Today_February 23 - 31
Pizza Today_February 23 - 32
Pizza Today_February 23 - 33
Pizza Today_February 23 - 34
Pizza Today_February 23 - 35
Pizza Today_February 23 - 36
Pizza Today_February 23 - 37
Pizza Today_February 23 - 38
Pizza Today_February 23 - 39
Pizza Today_February 23 - 40
Pizza Today_February 23 - 41
Pizza Today_February 23 - 42
Pizza Today_February 23 - 43
Pizza Today_February 23 - 44
Pizza Today_February 23 - 45
Pizza Today_February 23 - 46
Pizza Today_February 23 - 47
Pizza Today_February 23 - 48
Pizza Today_February 23 - 49
Pizza Today_February 23 - 50
Pizza Today_February 23 - 51
Pizza Today_February 23 - 52
Pizza Today_February 23 - 53
Pizza Today_February 23 - 54
Pizza Today_February 23 - 55
Pizza Today_February 23 - 56
Pizza Today_February 23 - 57
Pizza Today_February 23 - 58
Pizza Today_February 23 - 59
Pizza Today_February 23 - 60
Pizza Today_February 23 - 61
Pizza Today_February 23 - 62
Pizza Today_February 23 - 63
Pizza Today_February 23 - 64
Pizza Today_February 23 - 65
Pizza Today_February 23 - 66
Pizza Today_February 23 - 67
Pizza Today_February 23 - 68
Pizza Today_February 23 - 69
Pizza Today_February 23 - 70
Pizza Today_February 23 - 71
Pizza Today_February 23 - 72
Pizza Today_February 23 - 73
Pizza Today_February 23 - 74
Pizza Today_February 23 - 75
Pizza Today_February 23 - 76
Pizza Today_February 23 - 77
Pizza Today_February 23 - 78
Pizza Today_February 23 - 79
Pizza Today_February 23 - 80
Pizza Today_February 23 - 81
Pizza Today_February 23 - 82
Pizza Today_February 23 - Cover3
Pizza Today_February 23 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202407
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202406
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/expo_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201507
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com