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Caramelized Onion and Rosemary Focaccia

mangiarebene:

What a whirlwind weekend it has been! Rewind to St. Patrick’s day—I went to NYC to visit the French Culinary Institute. I’m starting pastry school there this July (!!!!!!!) and I wanted to go visit to meet the faculty. I also made some FANTASTIC new friends, so New York, look out. Mangiare Bene! is coming to a big city near you this July.

I’ll post a lot more about that later this week. I’ve got a lot of it queued up but it needs some polishing still. I’m working on a review of this great little cupcakery I found down in Greenwich Village and if you’re ever in the area, I demand you go. You’ll thank me.

So in the mean time, check out this really great focaccia. (great segue, huh?) It combines the saltiness/sweetness of caramelized onions with piney rosemary and it is to die for. And it really couldn’t be simpler.

Focaccia Dough

• 6C AP flour
• 2 1/4C lukewarm water
• 1 1/4T active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 3/4T Sugar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + 2T
• 8 Cloves roasted garlic mash (optional)

Here’s what you’re going to do:

• Whip up a batch of this dough and let it proof until it doubles in size
• Punch it down
• Cut off 1lb portions (I made two and stored the rest of the dough in the fridge)
• Form the dough into balls; dust with a little flour
• Let rest in oiled pan for ~20mins

Caramelized Onion & Rosemary Focaccia

• 1lb Dough ball
• .5 Onion sliced into strips
• 1T Dried Rosemary
• 2T EVOO
• Sea salt and cracked pepper

Process:

1. Brush a 9” nonstick round pan with 1T EVOO
2. Plop your dough in and roll it around in the oil. Let rest for 20 minutes
3. Chop half an onion into strips
4. Add 1 T of oil to frying pan, add onions and cook over medium-high heat
5. Onions are finished when they turn a light, golden brown
6. Spread the dough out to fill the pan
7. Use your fingers to make little indentations all over the top of the dough
8. Top with onions, sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt / black pepper
9. Bake in a 375˚F oven for about 30 minutes.
10. Focaccia is ready when it’s golden brown around the edges and on top.

(Source: dontburnthegarlic.com, via crumberrybakeshop)