You will need enough time to bring the bread dough together and to allow it to rise three times before you shape it. Once the dough forms, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover for 30 minutes, after that punch it down and fold twice, then let it rise again for 30 minutes, repeat this process one more time. Then shape it and let it rest again for 30-45 minutes. While the dough doesn't need constant attention, you will need to allow for almost 3 hours, including baking; you will be rewarded with the perfect focaccia. As a side note, the recipe I provided is a basic lean dough and can be used to make other types of bread as well.
While the bread is rising you can go ahead and prepare your pasta dough, knead it about five minutes, wrap it up in some plastic and place it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to roll-out the pasta and cut the ravioli's you can knead it through the pasta roller or by hand.
The meal started with the beautiful focaccia bread, complemented with some fresh pesto, that's basil, toasted pine nuts, and olive oil blended together, and a topping mix of tomato, garlic and basil. The flavors of both worked very nicely with the rosemary focaccia. The bread provided for a little light bite before and a was served with the main course; our lobster ravioli finished in a cream sauce and garnished with diced tomatoes, asparagus tips, and some fresh basil. We concluded the night with a rustic berry cobbler with a Dutch style crumb topping.
Focaccia starter: Rosemary and Olive Oil Facaccia bread; Pesto, and Tomato-Basil. (Left)
Lobster Ravioli: Fresh pasta ravioli filled with lobster and finished with a cream sauce. The garnishes are diced tomatoes, asparagus tips, basil and pieces of lobster. (Right)*
*Note: For a less rustic sauce strain it and add more cream.
Rustic Berry Cobbler: A free-formed pastry filled with blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, and a "Dutch" style crumb topping. It was served with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with a raspberry coulis. (Left)
Beverages: The wine that was selected for tonight was paired with both the appetizer and the entrée. The reason I did this was because we carried over the rosemary focaccia, so we needed a wine that would also carry over nicely. The answer was the 2009 INOX Chardonnay from Chehelam Winery in Oregon. The crisp acid and soft fruit, with hints of flowers paired beautifully with the rosemary focaccia and sides. The balance of the wine held its own against the rich cream sauce while helping to highlight the lobster. The meal was concluded with a 2009 Dry Riesling from Bell Mountain Vineyards in the Texas Hill Country. This dry, or trocken, style wine maintains the balance of fruit flavors without the sweetness of residual sugar, allowing the berries in the dessert shine.
Wine Suggestions -
Appetizer: If served alone or at a party, the focaccia and sides can be paired with most red, white, or sparkling wines. If you serve it as we did here, think about the main course and remember the rule to not follow a red wine with a white. Stay away for full-bodied reds, otherwise have fun.
Lobster Ravioli: Think rich, cream, yet delicate. You don't want a wine that will over-power the lobster. I would stay away from all but the lightest and most fruit forward of reds. A better pairing would include any Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, or even Chablis. No sweet or late harvest wines. Sparkling wine would be very nice. Use the same style and varietal of wine in the sauce to marry the flavors.
Dessert: Berries work nicely with a late harvest white, a good German white (Riesling or Gewurztraminer), but stay away from a Port or Madeira as the brightness of the berries will get lost with these two. Sparkling wine always works with berries and will hold-up to the butterfat in the ice cream.
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