FERMENTED SEAWEED SALAD FOCACCIA BY CHEF CAROLINE SCHIFF

This exciting twist on focaccia was created by celebrated chef Caroline Schiff

Makes one 9” x 13” focaccia

  •  150 grams active sourdough starter, 100% hydration
  • 480 grams room temperature water
  • 600 grams all-purpose flour
  • 11 grams kosher salt
  • ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/4 cup ASF fermented seaweed salad
  • 1 heaping tbsp sesame seeds
  • Flakey sea salt to garnish

In a large bowl combine the active starter and water, mixing well by hand. Add half the flour (eyeballed is fine) and mix well. It will look like a thin batter. Cover and let sit at room temp for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add the remaining flour and mix by hand. The dough will be sticky! Cover and leave to rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

After the first hour, add the salt by sprinkling it over the dough, using your fingers to dimple it in and incorporate. Fold and stretch the dough over itself 4 times in the bowl by hand, turning the bowl as you go so it folds from a different direction each time. Cover and rest another hour. Do this 3 more times. You’ll need a total of 4 sets of folds over 4 hours.

After the last set of folds, cover the dough in the bowl, transfer to the fridge, and ferment overnight, for 12 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 475 degrees with a rack in the center. Generously oil a 9” x 13” steel or cast iron pan with ¼ cup of olive oil, spreading it evenly across the bottom and sides. Gently transfer the dough to the pan using a and fold it over itself, then gently press out using your fingers to a rectangle shape, coming to about 2” from the edges of the pan. The oil should pool nicely in the corners and little divots on top of the dough. Cover and rest 1 hour.

After an hour you should see some bubbles on top and the dough should be spreading out towards the sides of the pan. Gently press the dough out further so it reaches the corners of the pan and, using your hands, dimple the surface of the dough all over. Cover the dough with the Atlantic Sea Farms fermented seaweed salad, in an even layer, and then top with the sesame seeds and a sprinkle of flakey sea salt, dimpling again so all the toppings adhere to the dough. Rest 15 minutes covered. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until deep golden brown and bubbly on top. When the focaccia is done, remove from the oven, and using tongs or a spatula, carefully remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Allow it to cool for at least 30 min before slicing.