I got a few comments about how luscious and yummy the bread looked yesterday so I asked mom for the recipe to share. She was happy to pass it along but I have to give credit to Chef Matt Finarelli. Ma has taken a few classes from him back in Bedford, but he also teaches in the DC area and I know there are a lot of my bloggity buds and friends who are from up around there.
I just checked out his website and blog called "Deglazed." There are lots of other recipes and opportunities for classes. I googled a bit and came up with the Pentagon City Sur la Table where Chef Matt has a series of what look like awesome yummy classes...there are a bunch in June on barbecue. Now I can't stop thinking about barbecue AND focaccia. Good grief I'm hungry!
So, as I promised in the title line...here's the recipe!
Focaccia with Onion, Sage and Salt
Matt Finarelli
(adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, Marcella Hazen, Alfred A. Knopf, 1993)
For the Dough:
1 package active, dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water – divided
5 1/2 cups bread flour – divided
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs salt
For the Baking
A large 16” x 12” jellyroll pan or a baking stone
Cornmeal
Mixture of ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbs water and 1 tsp salt
For the Topping
2 Tbs olive oil
2 onions, sliced thinly
3 – 4 tbs fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tsp coarse salt
- Proof the yeast with ½ cup of lukewarm water and a large dash of sugar.
- Combine yeast with 1 cup of the flour in a large bowl, then stir in the 2 Tbs of olive oil and the 1 Tbs of salt
- Add ¾ cup water and 2 cups flour and mix together. Add remaining ¾ cup water and approximately 2cups of flour – maybe more to make dough manageable.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times to bring all the pieces together. Then knead for about 5 minutes by slapping down the dough on the counter repeatedly to make a long tube of dough extending away from you. Roll the dough up, pressing down as you go, turn the dough ¼ turn and repeat the “slapping and rolling” process. Continue until dough is elastic.
- Place dough in a large, clean bowl. Coat lightly with olive oil and let dough rise until it is doubled in size.
- Punch dough down, knead for about 30 seconds and spread out flat on jellyroll pan dusted with cornmeal or on baking stone paddle dusted with cornmeal.
- If using a baking stone, begin preheating oven to 450º with stone inside at this point. Cover dough with a moist towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
- During this second rising, make topping by sautéing onions in olive oil until lightly golden. Set aside until rising is complete.
- If you are not using a baking stone, preheat oven to 450º at this point.
- When second rising is complete, remove moist towel, and while keeping your fingers stiff, poke down into the dough, making little hollows all over the surface of the dough.
- Brush on the olive oil/water/salt mixture over the dough, filling in all the little hollows you made with your fingers, and brush around the sides as well.
- Top the focaccia with onions, chopped sage leaves and coarse salt and place in oven.
- After the focaccia has been baking for 15 minutes on baking stone or in jelly roll pan, check to see if the bread is cooking evenly. If it is browning more on one side, turn it in the oven. Bake for an additional 7 – 8 minutes until outside crust is golden brown. (total cooking time: 22 – 23 minutes)
- Serve warm of at room temperature the same day. It you want to keep it longer, focaccia freezes very well.
Hope you enjoy as much as I do...enjoy the smell and warmth of herbs and salt and delicious bread. I'm sooooo hungry! haaaaaaaaaaa
