Onion and Rosemary Focaccia

A Focaccia Recipe that is a Great Accompaniment to Italian Food

May 19, 2008 Elizabeth Pace

This Focaccia recipe with onions, rosemary and olives makes for a tasty accompaniment to any Italian meal

The wonderful aroma of this focaccia fills the kitchen when it is baking with its delicious main ingredients of onions, rosemary and black olives. When served warm it makes for a tasty accompaniment to an antipasto platter or as a side dish to a hearty soup. You can serve it cold as the base for sandwiches for a special picnic or even use it as a pizza base.

Ingredients:

4 yellow onions
1½ cups warm water
2 cups wholemeal flour
28g (2 sachets) dried yeast
1 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp Olive oil (1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp)
½ cup dried Rosemary
1 tsp dried Rosemary leaves
½ cup black olives, pitted and chopped

Procedure:

Start by peeling and chopping the onions.
Heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onions. Cover the pan with a lid and gently cook over a low heat for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until the onions are soft and brown.
Combine the yeast, sugar and ¼ cup of warm water. Leave this for 5 minutes while the yeast activates and the mixture is frothy.
Sift the flour and then return any bran pieces back to the flour. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add 1 tsp dried rosemary leaves, the yeast mixture, 2 Tbsp olive oil and enough water to make a firm but kneadable dough.
Knead the dough well on a floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large, warm bowel that is lightly oiled. Cover with a plastic bag or cling film and stand in a warm place until dough doubles in volume. This stage should take about an hour depending.
Grease a rectangular baking tray (about 18cm x 25cm) with olive oil.
Punch the bread dough down and divide it into two. Roll each portion out to the same measurements as the tray. Place one of the rolled portions onto the greased tray and spread three quarters of the cooked onions on top.
Place the remaining piece of rolled-out dough on top and sprinkle it with the remaining onions, the olives and the rosemary.
Bake in a moderate oven (200C) for about 35 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Variations:

Try this recipe with other seasonings and / or vegetables. Use Italian herbs, basil, oregano, garlic, parmesan cheese, feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes, etc. The list is endless as the basic recipe is very versatile and it depends what you want to eat with it.

The copyright of the article Onion and Rosemary Focaccia in Baking & Desserts is owned by Elizabeth Pace. Permission to republish Onion and Rosemary Focaccia in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.