This is the first time I have made focaccia. I used a salad kit with dried sweetened fruit, pralines, crumbled blue cheese. I even topped it with a few baby greens and blue cheese vinaigrette. Add your own fruits and nuts, cheese and herbs to make this your own. Enjoy!
Sweet and Savory Focaccia
- 1 Tablespoon bread machine or rapid rise yeast
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm *110 degrees* water
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour + more for kneading
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt + more for top
- 3 Tablespoons EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) + more for bowl and top of focaccia
- fresh rosemary
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- sweetened dried fruit
- pralines or toasted nuts
- blue cheese, crumbled
In a bowl, mix yeast and sugar together. Add warm water, stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy. Whisk salt and 4 cups flour to combine. Add yeast mixture and stir to incorporate. Adding as little flour as needed to make a soft dough. Turn out on a flour service and knead 5 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Put dough in a bowl. Pour EVOO to coat, turn dough over, making certain there is EVOO on both sides. Let sit until double in size, 20 to 30 minutes.
Punch down. Pat dough in a large pan or skillet to rise and then cook. I used my Lodge 15″ Carbon Seasoned Steel Skillet which I use almost daily. I put a little EVOO on it as I always do before cooking. Pat dough in large 15″ skillet or rectangular baking sheet. Drizzle EVOO over top to coat. Now, make dents, not holes, with your fingertips. Add fresh, or dried, herbs to cover top. As much or as little as you like.
Top with garlic slices. dried sweetened fruit, pralines, and blue cheese crumbles. Cook in a preheated 425 oven for 10 minutes. Turn pan, or skillet, and cook another 5 to 10 minutes until lightly browned and dough has set. Enjoy!
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