Trying Something New (Part 1)

Millie and Me are having a pop-up bar with all sorts of food this weekend,




and I have been tasked with providing the breads. But not any old breads, Oh No; Sundried Tomato and Olive Focaccia, Herb Ciabatta and a Pesto Twist no less.

I do love a challenge, good job really.

So for Saturday delivery, I'm starting on Friday morning with the ferments for the Ciabatta and the Pesto bread.

The Pesto Bread mix is a straightforward dough, with a slow rise to develop the flavour, and looks pretty normal in its bowl.

The herb Ciabatta meanwhile is a much wetter dough,

hard to see here but its almost half and half flour and water. So quite difficult to handle. After a rest in the bowl, I put it on my trusty board, where it ran all over the place.

I folded it for a while and returned it to rest, then repeated at intervals over 40 minutes, by the end it was getting a structure, now it can snooze till tomorrow.

Half way

After 4 folds.

The Focacia will be done from scratch in the morning.