Coca is thought to have been introduced to the Balearic Islands by the Romans during their rule. Coca can be topped with many different ingredients such as sardines, onions, and peppers (or other vegetables), but this recipe uses one of the most common combinations.
Ingredients
For Making the Preferment Dough
- 1.5 oz Fresh Compressed Yeast
- 8 oz Water (90–100 degree F)
- 1 tsp Sugar, granulated
- 10 oz Bread Flour
For Mixing the Dough
- Preferment Dough
- 18 oz Water (90–100 degree F)
- 1.5 Tbsp Salt
- 4 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 lbs Bread Flour (2 cups of which is used to adjust consistency of dough)
For Preparing the Topping
- 3 lbs Spinach, stems removed (if not baby spinach)
- 2 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt, to taste
- 8 oz Pine Nuts
How to Make It
- Combine the yeast, warm water, sugar, and flour in a mixing bowl; mix with a dough hook for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Set the preferment aside in a warm place, and allow it to double in volume and just begin to fall before proceeding to the next step (this will take approximately 1.5 hours; time can vary depending on the temperature held). For Mixing the Dough
- Add the water, salt, olive oil, and all but 2 cups of the bread flour to the preferment; begin mixing with the dough hook to form a smooth dough by adding the reserved flour as needed.
- Mix the dough until it has developed properly (you should be able to stretch the dough into a thin, see-through sheet with your hands without it tearing).
- Place the developed dough into the proofbox and allow it to proof until it has doubled in volume (approximately 45 minutes). While proofing, proceed to the next step to have the topping ready. For Preparing the Topping
- Bring a pot of salted water, large enough to hold the spinach, to a boil over a high flame.
- Add spinach to the pot and blanch just long enough to wilt it; remove the spinach from the pot and shock it in an ice bath to cool immediately.
- Once cooled, remove the spinach from the ice bath and place it in a colander to squeeze out excess moisture (press inside the colander and squeeze to get out excess water—the spinach should be just moist).
- Toss the blanched spinach with extra virgin olive oil; season well with salt, and set aside.
- If the pine nuts have not been roasted, roast them in a 300 degree F oven until they just begin to color; set aside. For Baking Coca
- Once the dough has doubled in volume in the proofbox, punch it down, remove it, and place it on a lightly floured workbench.
- Cut the dough in half; roll out each half into a rectangle the size of the sheet pans.
- Grease the sheet pans with the olive oil, and place one dough piece on each. Put pans in a preheated 375 degree F oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and spread the blanched, seasoned spinach evenly over the two dough pieces; return to the oven and bake until the edges are browned and the bottom has set.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the pine nuts over the finished coca.
- Cut into desired size pieces.
