Like all of my other bread recipes, this one uses bakers percentages as well (which means the amount of water added is based on the total amount of flour). This is a super wet dough at 80% hydration, 2.5% salt and 1% yeast (active dry).
You’re going to think something is wrong, but trust me, the result is a pillowy and delicious bread with a great crust! This recipe is intended for a standard oven with the temperature at 500 degrees; the cook time should be 40 minutes. This dough also ferments for 12-24 hours prior to baking.
Ingredients
- 1,000 g bread flour (you can use any amount of flour because this recipe is based on percentages of the total amount of flour, 1000 g is an easy number to work with)
- 800 g water
- 25 g salt
- 10 g yeast (active dry)
- 1 zucchini sliced
- 1 lemon zested
- 8 oz ricotta
Process
The order of ingredients is very important for this process.
1. You will want to add the water to the mixing bowl first followed by the salt.
2. Dissolve the salt in the water and then add a handful of flour followed by the yeast.
Note: It is important to add a handful of flour before the yeast in order to protect the yeast from the salt and to give the yeast something to feed on immediately. Once you’ve done this and added the yeast, you can add the remaining flour.
3. Once all of the ingredients are in the mixing bowl, mix on low until the ingredients are incorporated and all of the flour comes off the sides of the bowl. Turn up the speed to knead the dough for 5 minutes.
4. It’s going to be wet! The consistency should be sticky and almost like pancake batter. This is okay! Place dough in a clean, well oiled container and cover with plastic wrap. Let ferment at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
5. After the first 2 hours, turn the dough over and fold it. The key is to keep your hands wet with water. You will want to fold the dough once per hour, four times. Add lemon zest during the final fold. Let it rest covered at room temperature for the remaining fermenting time.
6. After fermentation, place dough in a well oiled, rimmed baking sheet . Let rest covered for another hour.
7. Add zucchini and ricotta and bake covered for 15 minutes at 500 degrees. Remove cover and bake for the remaining 25 minutes. Brush with olive oil and salt.
