Fennel Seed Focaccia With Kalamata Olives Recipes

FENNEL FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Cook the fennel seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Combine the flour, water, 3 tablespoons olive oil, the yeast, sugar, kosher salt and the toasted fennel seeds in a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, dust with more flour and knead, stretching the dough and folding it over itself, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes (dust with more flour as needed). Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch nonstick baking dish with 3 tablespoons olive oil, letting the excess oil pool on the bottom. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and push it to the edges with your fingers (it should almost fill the pan). Cover and let rise again until the dough is puffed and the pan is full, about 1 hour.
• Uncover the dough and press deep dimples all around with your fingers. Scatter the fennel over the dough and drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, letting some oil pool in the dimples. Sprinkle generously with flaky salt. Cover and let rise again until small bubbles appear in the dough, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450˚.
• Uncover the dough and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

FENNEL SEED FOCACCIA WITH KALAMATA OLIVES

Steps:

• Make starter:
• Mix flour and yeast in 8- to 10-cup bowl. Using wooden spoon, stir in 3/4 cup water; beat until smooth soft dough forms, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Cover with plastic; let stand 30 minutes. Chill overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.
• Make dough:
• Stir 1/4 cup warm water and yeast in large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Add starter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cool water. Using wooden spoon, mix starter and water 1 minute (mixture will look milky and foamy). Mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 4 teaspoons salt, milk and fennel. Add 3 1/3 cups bread flour, about 1 cup at a time, mixing until very soft sticky dough forms.
• Knead dough gently on floured surface until dough comes together but is still sticky, sprinkling with more flour and loosening dough from surface with pastry scraper, about 5 minutes. Return to same bowl. Cover with plastic; let rest until firmer and less sticky, about 20 minutes.
• Knead dough gently on floured surface until supple and elastic, sprinkling with flour to prevent sticking, about 5 minutes. Push dough out to 12-inch square. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup chopped olives; fold dough over olives. Knead gently to distribute olives; shape into ball.
• Oil large bowl with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Add dough; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Uncover; fold dough edges in toward center. Turn dough over, releasing some air but deflating as little as possible. Cover; let rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Oil 17x11-inch baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Turn out dough onto pan. Without deflating dough, gently stretch and push dough to cover pan. If dough springs back, let rest 5 minutes, then stretch. Repeat resting and stretching until dough stays in place. Press quartered olives over surface. Indent dough with fingertips in several places. Let rise until puffy, about 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle dough with 1 teaspoon salt. Place pan in oven. Spray oven with water 8 times. Close door 1 minute. Open and spray several times more. Close door; bake focaccia 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake focaccia until golden and crusty, about 12 minutes longer. Cool focaccia on rack 30 minutes.

BRAISED FISH WITH FENNEL, TOMATOES AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in metal baking pan. Season fish with salt and pepper; place atop vegetables. Cover with foil. Bake until fish is just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Using spatula, transfer fish to plate; cover with foil and keep warm. Place baking pan with vegetables atop stovetop burner; bring to boil. Boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Mix in lemon juice, oil and 1 tablespoon basil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place one fish fillet on each of 4 plates. Top with vegetable mixture, dividing equally. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and olives.