Olive, Onion & Rosemary Focaccia
Shhhh. I’m going to let you in on a secret but don’t tell anyone—focaccia is simply pizza dough, formed into a rectangle on an oiled baking sheet, dented with your fingers and then topped with any topping you desire. Many people are shocked to learn how similar focaccia is to pizza that we all know and love. In fact, you can either make your favorite pizza dough or buy your favorite fresh, store bought variety and in no time, you will have classic Italian focaccia bread that would be very elegant cut into small squares and passed as an appetizer. Equally as tasty served alongside a nice insalata mista for lunch, or uniquely plated on a tray for your next cocktail party.
Homemade Pizza/Focaccia Dough
Just like its first cousin pizza, focaccia can be made with an assortment of toppings. My favorites however are olive oil, fresh olives and rosemary, or even just rosemary, garlic, and olive oil. Try adding halved purple grapes, sea salt, and thyme as a topping idea as well; the sweet-salty combination is always a good idea.
Rosemary & Garlic Focaccia
(To view this recipe, click on the blue blog post title above)
Olive, Onion & Rosemary Focaccia
Ingredients:
- * Recipe courtesy of Mami Camilla Cooking School*
- For the dough:
- 1 kilo AP flour
- 2 packs fresh yeast (break up in the water with your fingers)
- Water
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of sugar
- Toppings:
- Fresh rosemary
- Olives, pitted and halved
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- For the dough: Make a well, like you are making pasta, and mix ingredients below this way with your fingers and hand; knead into a soft dough. Put this in a bowl and let rise for about 1 hour. Divide and form into the shapes you desire on an oiled baking sheet (in this case a large rectangle) and let rest again for another half an hour.
- Make dents on the surface of the dough with your fingers, then top with fresh rosemary, olive oil, sliced onions, halved olives, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Let the formed focaccia rest for 30 minutes before baking in a preheated, 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until is lightly browned.
Tagged: appetizer, bread, culinary school, externship, focaccia, Italy, Mami Camilla cooking school, olive oil, olives, pizza dough, rosemary, Sorrento
You’re very welcome Mrs. Jan! I actually prefer it to pizza these days because of the lighter toppings you usually find on traditional focaccia. It is wonderful with just quality olive oil, the freshest herbs, and some nice seasonings. Our fresh pizza dough available at local our local Publix Supermarkets is fantastic–I bet Fresh Market in Baton Rouge, as well as Whole Foods have a nice dough as well.