Salted Egg Yolk Chili Oil Sourdough Focaccia
Indulge in the irresistible flavors of salted egg yolk and chili oil with this unique twist on classic focaccia bread. The recipe combines the richness of salted egg yolk and the fiery kick of chili oil to create a flavorful and savory bread that is sure to impress. The soft and pillowy texture of the focaccia provides the perfect canvas for these bold flavors to shine. Whether enjoyed on its own or as a side dish to complement a meal, this Salted Egg Yolk Chili Oil Focaccia is a delightful fusion creation that will elevate your culinary experience.
Equipment
- medium size baking dish like an 8x8 pan or a 10" cast iron skillet (like Lodge)
- microplane or cheese grater
Ingredients
Focaccia dough
- 30 g sourdough starter
- 254 g water
- 6 g salt
- 300 g all purpose or bread flour
- olive oil
Topping
- Chinese chili oil like lao gan ma
- 1 salted egg yolk* frozen
- Maldon flakey sea salt
- olive oil
- sesame seeds optional
- scallions optional
Instructions
- Mix together sourdough, water, salt, and flour until a sticky dough forms. Let the dough rest for 30min to hydrate.
- Stretch and fold the dough. Take the dough from the sides and stretch it up and over the center of the dough. Rotate and repeat, stretching and folding about 6 times. Coat the dough in olive oil, cover, and let the dough rise overnight for 8-12 hours.
- Generously coat a baking dish with olive oil. Turn the mixing bowl upside down and let gravity do its magic and let the dough fall into the dish. Scrape any leftover dough out of the mixing bowl.
- Fold the four sides of the dough over itself (like closing a cardboard box). Flip it so the seam side is down and let rise uncovered for 4-6 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Speckle the top of the dough with Chinese chili oil (to your desired amount) and any additional toppings (like sesame seeds and scallions), and shave the salted egg yolk on top. Then, oil your hands and dimple the dough. Finish with a generous sprinkling of flakey sea salt.
- Place the focaccia on the middle rack and place a baking sheet on the rack directly above it. This will prevent the chilis from burning. Alternatively, you can cover the top with aluminum foil. Just make sure to remove the foil near the end and finish baking the focaccia uncovered so the top gets some color. Bake the focaccia for 25 minutes or until the top is a beautiful golden brown. If your chili oil contains finely ground chilies, after 15 minutes of baking, you can reduce the temperature to 375°F and allow it to finish baking.
- Allow the focaccia to cool for 15 minutes in the cast iron skillet before transferring it to a cooling rack. Enjoy fresh.
Notes
*Salted egg yolks can typically be found at Asian supermarkets in the refrigerated or preserved food section. Alternatively you can substitute it for cured egg yolk, however I recommend using the Chinese-style Salted Egg yolk since it adds more flavor and is not as salty. For a cured egg yolk recipe, see the section Cured egg yolk recipe above for more details.