Sage Fontina Focaccia Recipes

SAGE FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast, salt, and warm water.
• Mix in the flour, starting with 2 cups, and then adding the rest, until a sticky, shaggy dough forms.
• Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for about 1 hour, until at least doubled in size and very bubbly. Preheat oven to 400F while it is rising.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the focaccia dough onto the lined baking sheet and gently spread it out with your fingers into a large rectange or oval.
• Dipping your fingers in the olive oil, make dimples over the top of the bread, and top with a bit more flaky salt. Note: don't be shy with the olive oil, it gives the bread great flavor and creates a crunchy crust.
• Gently press the fresh sage leaves on top of the bread.
• Bake for about 25 minutes until puffed and starting to turn golden.

FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2-cup warm water and honey; let stand for 5 minutes. Add flour, 1/4 cup oil, salt and remaining 3/4-cup water; mixing until smooth (dough will be wet). Scrape the sides of the bowl clean; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., Preheat oven to 425°. Brush a 13x9-in. baking pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Gently scrape dough directly into pan. With oiled hands, gently spread dough. If dough springs back, wait 10 minutes and stretch again. Make indentations in the dough with your fingers. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; let rise until doubled in size, 30-40 minutes. , If desired, sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares; serve warm.

FOCACCIA WITH SAGE

Steps:

• FOR SPONGE:
• Place 1/2 cup water in large bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture is cloudy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour. Cover with plastic. Let stand until very bubbly, about 45 minutes or less
• FOR FOCACCIA:
• Place 1 cup water in small bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture is cloudy, about 10 minutes. Stir dissolved yeast mixture and 1/4 cup olive oil into sponge in large bowl. Stir in 1 cup flour. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped sage and 2 teaspoons salt. Add remaining flour in 2 batches, mixing until well blended after each addition. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough until soft and velvety, about 10 minutes.
• Oil large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic. Let dough rise in warm area until doubled, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Oil 11x17-inch baking sheet. Punch down dough. Transfer to prepared sheet. Using oiled hands, press out dough to cover bottom of pan. Cover dough with kitchen towel. Let stand 10 minutes (dough will shrink).
• Press out dough again to cover pan. Cover with towel. Let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven. Place baking stone on rack and preheat oven to 425°F. (Baking stones are available at cookware stores. Unglazed quarry tiles, available at tile stores and some building supply stores, can also be used. If unavailable, heat another baking sheet in oven 10 minutes).
• Using fingertips, press dough all over, creating dimples. Drizzle dough with 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sage and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Place pan directly on pizza stone. Spray oven with water from spray bottle. Bake until focaccia is golden and top is crisp, spraying oven with water twice more during first 10 minutes, about 25 minutes total. Transfer bread to rack. Cool slightly. Serve bread warm or at room temperature.

RED ONION & SAGE FOCACCIA (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Pour the water and oil into the bread pan.
• Reverse the order in which you add the wet and dry ingredients if necessary.
• Sprinkle the flour over, ensuring that it covers the liquid.
• Add the salt and sugar in separate corners.
• Make a shallow indentation in the flour and add the yeast.
• Set the bread machine to the dough setting.
• If our machine has a choice of settings, use the basic or pizza dough setting.
• Press Start.
• Lightly oil a 10-11 inch shallow round cake pan or pizza pan.
• When the cycle has finished, remove the dough from the pan and place it on a surface lightly dusted with flour.
• Punch the dough down and flatten it slightly.
• Sprinkle over the sage and red onion and knead it gently to incorporate.
• Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it, then roll it into a round of about 10-11 inches.
• Place in the prepared pan.
• Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F Uncover the risen focaccia, and using your fingertips, poke the dough to make deep dimples over the surface.
• Cover and let rise for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
• Drizzle the olive oil over and sprinkle with the onion, sage leaves, sea salt and black pepper.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
• Turn out onto a wire rack to cool slightly.
• Serve warm.