Transitional Pizza

Second transitional recipe from Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads book. I've made this in the past and while the pizza is decent, pizza, like focaccia, tastes best when the major component is white bread flour. Perhaps I should try a multigrain dough.

Usually I divide the dough into quarters for 4 pizzas. This time, I used half the dough to make two boules and made two pizzas with the other half.

The rest in pictures:

Biga and soaker with other ingredients

7:36 pm: PR's epoxy method in action

7:51 pm: Well kneaded dough

7:56 pm: Split dough ready for rising

9:18 pm: One quarter of the dough rolled out

Pizza is ready!

9:18 pm: Two quarters shaped as boules, ready for proofing

10:11 pm: Ready for the oven

Two uneven but decent looking boules (blocks?)

Soup in a bread bowl anyone?

Broccoli soup with some melted cheddar cheese. Yum.

Notes
Date: December 1, 2011
Recipe: PR's Transitional Focaccia dough from Whole Grain Breads

Flours: Whole wheat, bread flour
Bread specific ingredients: Olive oil
Sweetener: Agave nectar
Liquid: Water

Comments: Bread boules worked well in the loaf pan, kept them from flattening as they proofed. I should really learn to toss the dough to make pizza base. That would be a cool skill to have.

-RPH

Transitional Focaccia II

Second post about Transitional Focaccia after a decent first attempt. The recipe is quite directly from Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads book. Only this time I made half the recipe in a half sheet pan which meant the dough wasn't going to fill the pan.

The rest in pictures

The dough is mixed the night before

2:29 pm: Nearly 16 hours later

2:34 pm: First rest

3:02 pm: Ready for second dimpling

3:04 pm: After second dimpling

3:23 pm: Basil-herb oil and third dimpling

5:15 pm: Ready for the oven

Whole wheat gives a really dark crust

Decent crumb

Notes
Date: November 19, 2011
Recipe: Transitional Rustic Bread and Focaccia from Peter Reinhart's book, 'Whole Grain Breads'

Flours: Whole wheat, bread flour
Bread specific ingredients: None
Sweetener used: None
Liquid: Water

Comments: This focaccia is really chewy. It is best fresh and warm, the chewiness can become cumbersome later. I don't know that a whole grain focaccia can ever taste like the bread flour kind and unfortunately, I find the latter the only acceptable form.

-RPH