Sourdough and sparkling? It’s our new favourite match.
Dan says the focaccia makes the perfect ‘scarpetta’ – the act of using a piece of bread to scoop up any sauce left on the plate, especially if you’re serving it alongside pasta. “The antipasto section on our menu is designed to have the focaccia served with it – it’s the perfect vessel to mop everything up.”
Dan, who has worked in kitchens for more than 25 years, says he’d regularly skip school because he was more interested in cooking. “In the later years, I honed in on all my Australian-Italian lineage, and the joys of cooking with my mum and nonnas, to bring my interpretation of those dishes to the table.” Leading the kitchen at Studio Amaro lets him do just that, bringing his family-style Italian food to Melbourne.
Proving time for the dough means downtime, so we’re pouring a glass of bubbles while we wait. Sparkling wine paired with focaccia is also an aperitivo dream. If you’re keeping the Italian theme going, then we recommend the Santa Margherita Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. You can expect a light prosecco with notes of apple, pear, stone fruit, melon and orange that offers serious bang for buck at $24 for My Dan’s members (it’s free to join, FYI).
If you prefer an Aussie sparkling, then let us introduce you to The Lane’s Lois Sparkling Blanc de Blanc. From the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, the Lois is fresh with citrus, florals and crunchy apples.
Dan says focaccia and sparkling pair so well because the carbonation and acidity in the wine cuts through the dough. “Especially when you’re slathering or mopping up rich, fatty and buttery foods with it.” Any bready notes in the sparkling wine will also play off the sourdough’s flavours nicely. And don’t worry, if still wines are more your speed we’ve also included a few white and red options at the bottom of the page (and they’re all less than $25).
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Ingredients: sourdough focaccia
425mL tepid water 7g dry yeast 1½ tsp sugar 485g 00 flour or strong bread flour 25g wholemeal flour 2tsp salt 20mL extra virgin olive oil Flaky salt to finish
Method
Combine water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and, using a dough hook, mix to combine Add flours, salt and olive oil, and mix on slow speed for 5–8 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed until a sticky dough forms Turn up the mixer to a medium to high speed for 5 minutes until the dough has formed a nice ball. Resist the urge to add more flour as this will be a wet dough Place the dough into an oiled bowl or container that is larger than the dough as it will rise considerably. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight or for 24 hours To make one large tray, remove the dough from the fridge and place onto an oiled tray. Rub a little oil over the dough and leave in a warm area to prove until doubled in size (30 minutes to 1 hour) After the dough has doubled, perform a set of stretches and folds, starting from the corners and pulling into the middle of the dough. Flip over and leave to rest for another 1 hour Preheat the oven to 240 degrees (fan-forced) The dough should be nice and pillowy by now. Being gentle not to lose too much air in the dough, drizzle a little more olive oil on top and, using both hands, press deep indents into the dough, guiding it into the corners of the tray with a wiggle as you press Season generously with flaky sea salt and let it sit for a further 10–15 minutes while the oven heats up Add a cup of water to an ovenproof dish at the bottom of the oven and cook focaccia on a tray for 5–8 minutes – this will create steam to help the sourdough to rise and develop that crispy crust Carefully remove the dish with water from the oven and continue cooking the focaccia for a further 12–15 minutes until it is a deep golden-brown and sounds hollow when tapped Remove the bread, add a final drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and let it cool on its tray for 5 minutes. Then turn it out onto a resting rack for 20 minutes
Dan Migliaccio’s top tips
Dan says the key to making this focaccia is patience. “Try not to rush the proving time, as it’s the most essential stage.” You also want to make sure the kitchen isn’t too warm or too cold, as the dough will rise too fast or too slowly, respectively. “If it's cold, as it is around this time of year, my mum would always use a thick blanket over a covered dough to help,” Dan says. Then, once proved, it’s all about working gently to press indents (AKA dimples) into the dough. You want to be careful not to push all the air out from the prove, but you do want to pop any large bubbles that form as they can burn while cooking. His final tip? “If you’re organised, try to let the dough sit for an extra 24 hours as it will develop a lot more sourdough flavour and become a touch spongier.”
