The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

WFOven Foccacia with Easter Dinner

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

WFOven Foccacia with Easter Dinner

I have always been a fan of Cyril Hitz's Focaccia.  It makes a full half sheet pan of a nice, thick focaccia.  

I like it sliced diagonally to use for sandwiches, one of the reason's I chose to bake it today.  

I also roasted a leg of lamb for tonights dinner and tomorrow's sandwiches. 

Everything was cooked in my wfo, except the cherrry pie.  I baked it in my just cleaned ovens.  No mess, I always use a pizza pan for a liner for those bubbly cherry pies.

All was delicious and the lamb roasted up nice and medium the way we like it.  It had a wonderful little smoky flavor.

The focaccia was something I decided to make this morning.  So I adjusted the poolish to fit today's cooking schedule.  It tasted wonderful even without the long overnight fermented poolish.   The oven was a little crowded with the two large roasting and baking pans.  I placed the foccacia very close to the low flames and so it had a fair bit of charring over the top crust..added just more flavor, rather like on a pizza crust.  Focaccia is a bread that bakes and taste very nice, when baked in a wfo oven, without the fire being removed.  

It was topped with olive oil, rosemary, garlic and finished with coarse sea salt.

 

 

 

Happy Easter!

Sylvia

 

Comments

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Easter spread!  The foccacia is just perfect for a WFOLOL sandwich - it almost looks like a huge ciabatta.  We love the dark color.  Like burnt ends when smoking brisket, the more brown the better the bread.  Just spectacular baking as usual Sylvia.

Hope your Easter was Grand!

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Thanks for nice comments : )

Happy April 1st! 

Sylvia

hansjoakim's picture
hansjoakim

Do you have room for one more at your table? I'd love me some WFO foccacia (and not to forget the pie! yum) in good company :o)

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Always room for one more at our table.  You would have liked the photo's of the lamb sliced..but, I didn't want to gross out the vegetarians.  

I like your new photo, too!  You look like John Denver did when he was young, no foolin!  

Happy April 1st!

Sylvia 

Sjadad's picture
Sjadad

Sylvia,

I've been flirting with the idea of getting a WFO for about a year now. Being able to make La Vera Pizza Napoletana (in 90 seconds or so), as well as breads, roasts, etc. is so appealing to me. 

Your Easter feast photos and description are truly inspiring!

May I ask, did you build, or have built, your WFO, or did you buy one already assembled?  I'm inclined to buy one already assembled. After a fair amount of research I'm leaning towards one of the residential ovens sold by Forno Bravo. If any TFLers have experience with these I would very much appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!

 

Sjadad

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

My oven is a Forno Bravo Toscano with the 36" inside floor.  It does everything it says it will.  You can cook or bake anything in a woodfired oven that you can cook or bake indoors or outdoors.  It just taste amazingly better!  I have lot's of room in the 36" floor.

These ovens are heavy, mine weighs I think something close to 2000 lbs.  

The company is in California and was delivered by the man who made it and lifted with a humungous crain that was not included in delivery or set up. It was delivered in the back of his truck.  The rest was up to us to handle, getting it into the back yard and onto a frame.  I can't image how much it would cost to have it sent across the US.  There are other companies that make these type of ovens.  I'm just not sure how close they would be to you.  I would think closer would be better or at least less expensive and I'm sure other company's are just as good a quality type kits or finished wfo's.

Happy April lst.

Sylvia

Sjadad's picture
Sjadad

Very helpful information Sylvia, thanks. Coincidentally, the Toscano is one of the models I'm considering very seriously. The shipping costs from California to New Jersey are rather steep, although I haven't identified another manufacturer closer to my home that makes as high-quality a product. 

I'm still mulling it over. Thanks again.

Sjadad

LindyD's picture
LindyD

Having had to deal with white-out near blizzard conditions today, with more snow on the way, I can only sigh with envy with the thought of cooking anything outdoors, let alone a great meal in a WFO!  Mother Nature's got a lousy sense of humor in my part of the country.  

It all looks lovely, Sylvia - and I sure share your preference for Cyril Hitz's focaccia.  It's a wonderful formula and I love the charring on yours.

Lindy

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

and thank you for nice compliment!

I do think often about the weather people endure in other parts of this country.  

I probably would not survive the cold weather.  I don't know how to live in it and probably would kill myself by doing something stupid..or just freeze to death.  

I grew up in the desert heat and love the desert and miss the desert nights.  Even snow in the desert is especially nice.   California is wonderful..but the desert is special in it's own beautiful way.

I hope your spring comes early and the weather brightens.

Sylvia

   

chouette22's picture
chouette22

The focaccia looks so, so good! I wish we could see it once you cut into it, it has so much lift!

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Well it's a little late now for a photo.  We dived into it again today.  I can tell you I have made it a few times and it always has a lovely very open, with large holes and soft airy crumb, just delicious.  Think Ciabatta because that is what the formula for Ciril Hitz's focaccia comes from..his ciabatta.  It's very easy to make and I would say just about foolproof.  You might even see him making it on video on his web page or youtube.

Sylvia

Franko's picture
Franko

Hi Sylvia,

I always look forward to your 1st (posted) WFO bake of Spring, it's sort of become my wake-up call that nice weather and outdoor living is on the way. Just love to see all the great food you pull out of your WFO and this focaccia looks so good with it's light char. Very authentic looking and full of flavour I'm sure, along with a lovely roast lamb...that's my kind of dinner! A slice of lattice top cherry pie for dessert? YES PLEASE!

Thanks for sharing your photos Sylvia, your WFO baking and cooking has been an inspiration to me since joining TFL and figures prominently in finally deciding to build my own wood burning oven this summer if time and budget permit.

All the best,

Franko 

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

I'm getting better at it I think.  You know I didn't even know how to light a fire when I got it : ) 

I get excited just thinking of anyone getting a wfo.  I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about the joy Pips must have watching his being built and you anticipating yours : )  

 Sour, tart, Cherry pie is my favorite!  Mom used to put tapioca in hers...sometimes I do too.  I used a tiny touch of allspice, fresh ground nutmeg and almond extract, gave it a very nice flavor.  

Sylvia

 

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

I also look for a post from you around this time, and lemme say, Sylvia, you never disappoint!  Love that simple, honest, down-home traditional fare, and the WFO must bring it all to a different level entirely. Tell me, no torture me: was icecream or cream - or both - involved in the serving of that luscious-lookin' pie?

Cheers!
Ross

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

For the very nice comment.  Funny, Mike had to make a run to the store for me.  He forgot the ice cream and heavy cream.  I just as soon not have any, to justify having 2 slices :)

Sylvia

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Yum, Foccacia! I never tried that one yet. Looks very enticing, and so is the pie.

Happy easter , Sylvia!

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

It's wonderful and can be topped with all kinds of savories or just left plain.

Sylvia