Continuing my new-found obsession with no-knead doughs, I spent a good part of December baking this focaccia dough in its various iterations. As a mark to how versatile this recipe is, and also how delicious it is, nobody got sick of me cooking the same thing over and over again. I've tried different toppings, played around with the sauce, and made the dough into thick-crust pizza, which was a rousing success. This dough develops a crisp golden base and a fluffy chewiness interior, and this texture plays off well with a layer of tomato, melted cheese, mushrooms and meat.

As good as pizza can be, the dough is just as good as its origin - a no-frills focaccia topped by aromatics that are found in every household. Savoury garlic cloves and sweet onions are cheap and abundant, and fills the kitchen with an intoxicating fragrance. 

Garlic and Onion Focaccia
Adapted from Garlic Focaccia at Serious Eats
If you don't have a cast-iron skillet (I know I don't...), you can get great results with stainless steel. I use a 11" stainless steel cake pan, which develops a crisper crust than a non-stick surface.  

INGREDIENTS

Focaccia Base

375g all-purpose or bread flour 

11g salt 

3g instant yeast

245g water  

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Garlic Butter (optional)

2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the Roasted Garlic 

Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 

 Break the heads of the garlic apart slightly. On a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle the garlic with 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Leave each garlic clove uncut: roasted whole garlic cloves are sweet and fragrant, which slicing into the garlic cloves, even a little, will result in a harsh and pungent garlicky taste. Wrap tightly with foil and roast for about an hour, until garlic is completely tender. Let cool and refrigerate until use.

I’ve been a big fan of baked Camemberts since my road trip through New Zealand. After a lovely store assistance took us through her way of baking Camembert, my life has never been quite the same. It took my family a few years to cotton onto the delight of a hot melting wheel of cheese, but I can proudly say now that they’re 100% on board with the idea. 

Part of my New Years' resolution is to eat healthier, and aside from increasing my intake of greens (yes, how we love people who brags about how healthy they're eating =.=), but more interestingly, this recent medical report from the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease caught my eye. This little tidbit, for example: 

1. Cheese, by far, was shown to be the most protective food against age-related cognitive problems, even late into life;
2. The daily consumption of alcohol, particularly red wine, was related to improvements in cognitive function;

So, as part of my new resolution for a healthier diet, I'll commence a habit of drinking red wine daily. And y'know, workin' on my night cheese. All in the name of healthy living, obviously. 

Now pass the bottle of red wine.

The sun had almost fully set by the time this picture was taken (hence the drop in photo quality!), but just look at the ooze on that cheese.

Baked Camembert 

Inspired from Baked Camembert on BBC Food 

Baking a wheel of cheese deepens their flavour and make it more pronounced. I find milder cheeses best for baking, and save the stronger cheeses for eating as is. 

INGREDIENTS

1 wheel of camembert
1 garlic clove, finely minced
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
1-2 tsp honey
Sliced sourdough, to serve

STEPS

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Using a knife, gently cut and separate the top 0.5 cm of the camembert from the rest of its body. Sandwich the garlic, thyme and a drizzle of honey between the two layers of the camembert.

Place cheese in a small oven proof bowl and set it on a baking sheet. Add sliced sourdough to the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven for ten minutes, until the centre of the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.