You Voted: I Made....well.....

There was a tie, so I asked a friend (BB) to break the tie.  The Roasted chicken, Brie, and Pear Panini won.


Since I am now hooked on cooking/baking and purchased some new tools, I thought maybe I should start at the beginning of a sandwich - the bread.
After a quick search of the internet, I found that there are two breads that are recommended/used in many of the panini recipes I found: ciabatta or foccacia.  It seems foccacia  would be the easiest bread for a beginner-bread-maker, so I set about searching for a good basic recipe.

Not having a bread book for basics (I have bread books for sweet breads like pumpkin and zucchini) I looked online and decided on Easy Foccacia Recipe because of the added flavor from the recipe. Now for the tools ....I put a bread/pizza peel and plastic 6-qt lidded container in my shopping cart...then I talked to a friend who makes bread and to my surprise he told me I had everything I needed :)


Today's players:
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 (.25 ounce) pkg  instant yeast
1 1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese


After determining the difference between instant yeast and active yeast (subtract 1/4 liquid from the recipe, since you need 1/4 cup water/liquid to proof the active dry yeast (ady), I combine the 2 different flours in the bottom of my kitchen aid mixer and made a well.  I then put the yeast and sugar in the well, pouring  the 1 1/3 cup water (minus the 1/4 cup for the yeast difference) on top.  Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to proof.  Before stirring, pour 1 1/2 tbsp into the well. Stir with a wooden spoon starting in the middle and working outwards to pick up all the flour in the bowl.  Cover and allow to rise/double for 30-45 minutes.


Have a snack, do some laundry, go back and look - it didn't double :(


So I set about looking for a recipe that uses ady to start with instead of messing with the conversion again.


I found this recipe from Bobby Flay Fabulous Focaccia Recipe


I started with putting the ady yeast to the (cleaned) bowl of my stand mixer and then adding in the warm water and sugar.  I waited 3 minutes and no bubbles :(


I received a method from a fellow bread maker (WL) to try proofing the yeast, so I will try that tomorrow.


Sadly the only bread I had in the house was plain old regular white bread....not what I want for a panini....so I will have the husband pick up some wheat bread on his way home tomorrow.


note: I was informed before dinner that my husband abhors brie, so I will be making the panini with fontina cheese when it gets made.