Roasted Onion and Asiago Miche

Preparation

1. Step 1

   One day before making the dough and 2 days before baking the bread, make the sponge. Mix together the barm, water, and flour in a bowl until the flour is completely hydrated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 8 hours, or until the sponge is very bubbly. If it is a cool day and the sponge is fermenting slowly, you can leave it out overnight. Otherwise, put it in the refrigerator when it foams and is bubbly.

   Step 2

   Remove the sponge from the refrigerator about 1 hour before making the dough to take off the chill.

   Step 3

   To roast the onion, preheat the oven to 500°F and line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Coarsely chop the onion and toss the pieces in a bowl with the olive oil. Spread the onions on the sheet pan. Sprinkle the pepper and salt over the onions. Bake, stirring every 3 to 5 minutes, or until the pieces turn golden brown or even begin to char slightly. This will take 15 to 20 minutes (or sauté them in a hot skillet; it will take about the same amount of time). Remove the onion from the pan and set aside to cool, then refrigerate until needed.

   Step 4

   To make the dough, stir together the flour and yeast in a large mixing bowl with a large metal spoon. Add the water and the sponge and stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed and the dough forms a ball. Let sit for 5 minutes, then add the salt and olive oil and stir to distribute. Add half of the grated cheese and all of the chives and scallions.

   Step 5

   Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead the dough for about 4 minutes, or until all the ingredients are evenly distributed, adding additional flour as needed to make a soft, tacky, but not sticky dough. The dough should pass the windowpane test (page 58), register about 74°F, and be very supple. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

   Step 6

   Ferment at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or until the dough nearly doubles in size.

   Step 7

   Line 2 sheet pans with baking parchment, mist with spray oil, and dust with semolina flour or cornmeal. Dust the counter with flour and transfer the dough from the bowl to the counter, taking care not to degas the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and gently shape them into large boules, as shown on page 72. Place a round of dough on each pan. Mist the dough with spray oil and slip each pan into a large food-grade plastic bag or cover loosely with plastic wrap.

   Step 8

   Place the pans in the refrigerator overnight.

   Step 9

   Remove each pan from the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to bake (you can hold them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, baking each pan on a different day, if you wish). Proof the dough for approximately 2 hours at room temperature.

   Step 10

   Prepare the oven for hearth baking as described on pages 91–94, making sure to have an empty steam pan in place. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil and, using your fingertips, make dimples all over the dough, pressing almost to the bottom of the loaf and creating a series of ridges and pockets all over the surface. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top of each loaf. Divide the roasted onion pieces into 2 portions and evenly distribute them over the top of the cheese. Let the dough rest for 15 to 30 minutes.

   Step 11

   Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal and very gently transfer the loaves, with or without parchment, to the peel or pan. Slide the loaves onto the baking stone (or bake the loaves directly on the pan). Pour 1 cup hot water into the steam pan and close the door. After 30 seconds, open the door, spray the walls of the oven with water, and close the door. Repeat twice more at 30-second intervals. After the final spray, lower the oven setting to 450°F and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the bread 180 degrees, if necessary, for even baking and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes. The bread should be golden brown and the cheese melted and brown. The internal temperature of the bread should exceed 195°F, and the loaf should make a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. If the cheese seems too brown, but you still need more baking time, cover the top with aluminum foil or a piece of baking parchment to protect the top to gain a few more baking minutes. You may also turn off the oven and let the residual heat continue baking the bread for an additional 10 minutes (again, covering the tops to protect the cheese from burning).

   Step 12

   Transfer the finished bread to a rack and cool for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.

2. BREAD PROFILE

   Step 13

   Enriched, semi-rustic dough; indirect method; mixed leavening method

3. DAYS TO MAKE: 3

   Step 14

   Day 1: 8 hours sponge

   Step 15

   Day 2: 1 hour to de-chill sponge and prpare onions; 15 minutes mixing; 2 to 3 hours fermentation and shaping

   Step 16

   Day 3: 2 1/2 hours proofing and final shaping; 35 to 50 minutes baking

4. Commentary

   Step 17

   This bread takes 3 days to make from start to finish, though the amount of time actually spent on the dough is not that long. Mise en place, as always, is vitally important. Having everything prepared in advance, such as the onions and cheese, will save you from unnecessary stress. Please read the instructions thoroughly before starting, and plan out your steps accordingly.

5. Step 18

   This dough is made from a wet starter that, in turn, is built from a small amount of barm. This is a large, round, dimpled loaf with lots of big holes in the crumb between the dimples. It requires an oven-roasted onion, baked in a very hot oven, that can be prepared a day or two in advance (or substitute sautéed onions).

6. Step 19

   The dough is too large for most mixers (other than a Magic Mill), so it is best to make it by hand.

7. BAKER’S PERCENTAGE FORMULA

   Step 20

   Roasted Onion and Asiago Miche: %

   Step 21

   (Sponge)

   Step 22

   Barm: 17.8%

   Step 23

   Water: 71.1%

   Step 24

   Bread flour: 100%

8. Step 25

   Total: 188.9%

9. Step 26

   (Dough)

   Step 27

   Sponge: 66.4%

   Step 28

   Bread flour: 100%

   Step 29

   Instant yeast: .78%

   Step 30

   Water: 56.3%

   Step 31

   Salt: 3.1%

   Step 32

   Olive oil: 4.7%

   Step 33

   Cheese: 50%

   Step 34

   Chives: 6.3%

   Step 35

   Scallions: 6.3%

   Step 36

   Roasted onion: 25%

10. Step 37

    Total: 318.9%