Our bread course at h y p h a encompasses a lot of the fermentation techniques that we use with each element differencing in its process and time scale.
With the focaccia, we are going to cheat slightly by adding a pre-fermented levain to develop a little more flavour while not having the headache of keeping a starter alive for months.
I would recommend buying a good quality, pre-fermented miso as the process can take months and can be problematic whereas the mushrooms, although requires time, requires truly little effort.
For the Whipped Miso:
100g White miso paste
100g Roasted Garlic (Roughly a whole head after cooking)
10g Cold pressed rapeseed oil
3g Citric acid
Roast garlic whole in a 140 degrees oven for 1 hour. Allow to cool and squeeze garlic flesh from the skins. Combine all ingredients and whisk into a suitable texture so you can spread the miso without it being grainy but firm enough to be able to work as a puree.
For the fermented Oyster Mushrooms:
(We grow our own mushrooms in the restaurant and cultivate them when they are at a slightly smaller than usual size for this recipe)
Add the mushrooms to a sealable jar, cover with filtered water and add 3% of the total weight of an un-iodised salt.
The fermentation process will begin after 6-12 hours and you should see bubbles rising to the surface if active.
Open the container every few days to allow the gas to escape (the bottles can explode if you miss this step)
Allow to ferment for 5-7 days in a warm area away from direct sunlight.
Once you are happy with the flavour and texture, refrigerate and use for up to 6 months.
The liquid from the ferment can be used to season other dishes.
For the Focaccia:
For the starter:
35g Live yeast
100g 00 Flour
100g Cold, filtered water
Mix well. add to a sealed container & refrigerate for 24 hours
For the Dough:
950g 00 Flour
74
0g Water (Same temperature as flour, roughly 25-35 degrees)
35g Good quality salt
Add the starter to a bowl with the flour and salt and mix well. Turn out onto liberally olive oiled surface and gently knead with well-oiled hands. Return to bowl and allow to prove to double its size. Once again return to a well-oiled surface and begin to fold and rotate dough until smooth. Transfer to a lined baking tray and add dimples if required. Allow to prove until once again doubled in size then bake at 200 degrees for around 20-25 minutes. Add a heat proof bowl of water to the bottom of the oven to achieve decent hydration. Once cooked the bottom should sound hollow when tapped. Allow 10 minutes for bread to rest. Use the whipped miso as you would butter and the fermented mushrooms to give a funky bite to cut through all the richness of the bread and miso. Serve warm with a scattering of foraged petals and leaves.