Filled Focaccia With Ham And Melted Fontina Recipes

BAKED FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and position the oven rack 5 inches from the heat.
• Distribute the cubes of Fontina evenly in a 12-inch cast-iron pan. Drizzle on the olive oil. Combine the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and sprinkle it over the cheese and olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and place the pan under the broiler for 6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and starts to brown.
• Serve the baked Fontina family-style-right out of the oven in the cast-iron pan with crusty chunks of bread for everyone to dip.

FICAZZA (FOCACCIA PIE WITH HAM CHEESE FILLING)

Steps:

• Cook and peel the potatoes in a pot with water (you will need to reserve 150 ML of the water). Once the potatoes are cooled, pass them through a ricer, into a large mixing bowl.
• Meanwhile proof the yeast with some of the reserved WARM potato water (about 1/4 cup) and 11/2 tsp sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
• Add the flour, and mix until crumbly. Add the yeast mixture, the melted margarine and slowly add the remaining potato water. At this point you can either mix by hand or put it in your Kitchen Aid mixer with the bread hook attachment. Be careful when mixing the water, because the dough consistency must not be too dry or too wet, it should be tacky to the touch and come together into ball. Keep kneading until a smooth ball forms.
• Place the dough in a well greased bowl, and cover it with seran wrap or a towel. Place in a warm spot to rise -- I usually put it in my oven to avoid drafts. Let is rise for about one hour or until doubled in size.
• While the dough is rising assemble the filling. Mix all the ingredients together and set aside.
• Grease a 12 inch sping form pan. Se aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Once the dough doubles, take it out of the bowl and gently deflate it and divide the dough in half. Place the first half in the mold covering th eentire bottom. Put the filling on top of the dough but leave 1/4 inch border so as the filling does not touch the sides. Place the second half of the dough on top of the filling.
• Put the sliced tomatoes on top of the second half of the dough, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for about 40 minutes or until done.

WHOLE WHEAT FOCACCIA WITH TOMATOES AND FONTINA

Steps:

• Make the sponge. Combine the yeast and water in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to dissolve. Whisk in the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until bubbly and doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
• Make the dough. If using a stand mixer, whisk the yeast and the water in a small bowl and let stand until creamy, a few minutes. Add to the sponge in the mixer bowl, along with the olive oil. Add the flours and salt and mix with the paddle attachment for 1 to 2 minutes, until the ingredients are amalgamated. Change to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 8 minutes. The dough should come together and slap against the sides of the bowl. It will be slightly tacky. To make the dough by hand, combine yeast and water as directed and whisk into the sponge along with the olive oil. Whisk in the all-purpose flour. Add the salt and remaining flour, one cup at a time, folding it in with a spatula or a wooden spoon. When you can scrape the dough onto a work surface, add flour to the work surface, scrape out the dough and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and velvety. Return to the bowl (oil the bowl lightly with olive oil first).
• Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Shape the focaccia. Oil a 12-x 17-inch sheet pan (sides and bottom) with olive oil. Line with parchment and oil the parchment. Turn the dough onto the baking sheet. Oil or moisten your hands and press out dough until it just about covers the bottom of the pan. Dough may be sticky. Cover with a towel and let it relax for 10 minutes, then continue to press it out until it reaches the edges of the pan. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour, or until dough is full of air bubbles.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees after 30 minutes of rising (30 minutes before you wish to bake), preferably with a baking stone in it. With lightly oiled fingertips or with your knuckles, dimple the dough, pressing down hard enough to leave indentations. Drizzle on the olive oil for the topping and arrange cheese over the surface. Top cheese with the sliced tomatoes and sprinkle tomatoes with coarse sea salt if desired.
• Place pan in oven on baking stone. Spray oven 3 times with water during the first 10 minutes of baking, and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until edges are crisp and the top is golden. If you wish, remove the focaccia from the pan and bake directly on the stone during the last 10 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and from pan and cool on a rack. Sprinkle basil over the top. If you want a softer focaccia, cover with a towel when you remove it from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature.

STUFFED FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Thaw dough.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Divide the dough into two.
• On a floured surface, either pat down or roll into two 10-11 inch circles.
• Place one circle on an oiled cookie sheet, and then sprinkle the cheese evenly over its surface.
• Spread the spinach across the top, and then cover with the remaining circle.
• Using your fingertips, gently press the edges together.
• Create dimples across the top surface using your fingertips, and drizzle over with the oil. Sprinkle the salt and rosemary on top.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve warm.
• Variation: Try stuffing the focaccia with thinly sliced tomatoes and basil leaves, shredded cooked ham and Fontina cheese, or simply a mixture of your favorite Italian cheeses.

FILLED FOCACCIA WITH HAM AND MELTED FONTINA

Steps:

• Pop the ingredients for the dough into a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set to dough and start.
• Towards the end of the time, prepare the filling by slicing the cheese thinly and separating the slices of ham.
• When the dough is ready, remove from the machine, turn it out onto a lightly foured surface, divide it into two and then roll out one half to form a rough rounded rectangle approx 28 x 20cm.
• Place the rolled out dough onto a baking tray or pizza stone and arrange the slices of ham on top, making sure that they go right up the edges. Follow this with the cheese, then scatter the sage and season well with the pepper. Roll out the remaining dough, lay it on the top of the other half and pinch the edges together to completely enclose the filling. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to puff up for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to Gas 6/400/200 degrees. When the dough is ready, make about 15 little dimples in it with your finger and press in the sprigs of rosemary. Finally drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the dough is crisp and golden.
• Serve straight from the oven, cut into wedges or squares.