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Coca a La Bodega (Catalan Coca Dough)
Total 5 hours and 30 minutes (includes resting times)
Active 30 mins
Makes 3 coca
Pick your own fun and adventurous toppings! Try a few slices of bacon with pine nuts and white onion, roasted red peppers with a drizzle of sherry vinegar, or some fresh sliced figs with a drizzle of honey. The key to a good coca is do not over top—a little goes a long way.
Ingredients
Directions
- Combine warm water and yeast in a mixing bowl and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the water and yeast mixture along with all-purpose flour, kosher salt, wine, and olive oil to a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
- Mix on medium-low speed for about 8 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with a damp cloth. Rest the dough for 30 minutes.
- After the dough rests, lightly dust a work surface with all-purpose flour and transfer the dough out of the bowl. Holding the dough in place, stretch one side out and fold it over. Repeat the folding process with the other side to make a tri-fold, similar to folding a letter for an envelope. Turn the dough 90 degrees, and repeat this process with the two sides that have not been stretched. This will create a nice, rounded dough. Place the dough back into the mixer bowl, seam-side down. Cover with the damp cloth, and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes more.
- Repeat the letter fold step one more time. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover, and let sit for another 30 minutes.
- On the lightly floured surface, remove the dough from the bowl and cut into 3 even-sized pieces. Pat each piece into a loose ball, pinching the bottom to keep it together. On the floured work surface, cover the balls to rest for another 10 minutes.
- Roll the dough balls against the floured surface, and place them into a dish or tray that allows room between each piece. Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil. Cover and allow to rest and develop flavor in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
- To bake: Set the oven rack just below the middle of the oven. Place a ceramic baking stone on the rack before preheating the oven to its highest temperature—usually 500°F or 550°F.
- Pull a coca dough ball from the refrigerator. Dust a pizza peel with semolina flour or cornmeal and begin to stretch a ball of coca dough. The shape of a typical Catalan coca is longer than it is wide, about 12 to 14 inches long by 6 to 8 inches wide. Place the stretched dough on top of the semolina flour on the peel and add desired toppings. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Slide the coca off the peel onto the ceramic stone.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
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