Lemon Pepper Focaccia Recipes

LEMON FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine yeast and 2 1/2 cups flour with 2 cups water; whisk to combine. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Add remaining 2 1/2 cups flour and salt; mix until well combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead until wet and tacky, but not sticky, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until doubled in size, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• Oil a large rimmed baking sheet and press dough evenly into baking sheet. Let rise until puffy, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Cover dough with Pecorino Pepato and lemon slices and sprinkle with rosemary leaves and salt; drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Transfer to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate baking sheet, and continue baking until lemons and crust are golden brown, about 15 minutes more.
• Remove bread from baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

ROSEMARY, LEMON, AND PEPPER FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F thirty minutes before baking, and place a baking stone, baking tiles, an inverted large cast-iron skillet or griddle, or a heavy baking sheet in oven to heat (I use a baking stone).
• Flour the work surface lightly and roll the dough into a rough circle 11 inches in diameter. Place a sheet of parchment paper roughly the size of the dough on a baker's peel (this is what I use), inverted baking sheet, or a rimless cookie sheet. Transfer dough to the parchment; reshape with your fingers.
• Prick the dough with a fork and brush lightly with some of the olive oil. Grind pepper over it and sprinkle evenly with the rosemary. Cut the lemon in half lengthwise through the stem (reserve other half for another use), then slice crosswise as thinly as you can; remove any seeds. Arrange lemon slices evenly over the dough and brush them lightly with olive oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 15 minutes.
• Slide the focaccia, still on the parchment, onto the hot stone. Bake until the crust is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Brush with remaining oil and sprinkle with the cheese or salt. Cut into wedges and serve at once.

CLASSIC FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt and yeast. Add the warm water to the flour mixture and stir until all the flour is incorporated and a sticky dough forms. (Expect a very wet dough; no kneading required.) Pour 2 tablespoons oil into a medium bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turn to coat, and cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 24 hours or for up to 2 days.
• When you're ready to bake, brush the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with oil. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer to the prepared pan. Using your hands, spread the dough out as much as possible, adding oil to the dough if needed to keep it from sticking. (Don't worry if the dough doesn't yet cover the full pan; it will once it relaxes and rises.) Place the dough in a warm place and let rise until about doubled in bulk. The rising time will vary considerably depending on the season. (In the summer, it may take only 20 minutes for the dough to warm up and rise; in the winter, it can take 1 hour or more.) When the dough is ready, it should be room temperature, spread out on the sheet and fluffy.
• Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Using your palms, pat down the focaccia to an even thickness of about 1 inch, then, using your fingertips, dimple the entire dough. Drizzle it with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle the entire surface of the focaccia evenly with the sea salt and herbs, if using.
• Bake, rotating once front to back, until the top is uniformly golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the focaccia on the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool, then slide out of the pan. Enjoy it hot. (Focaccia deteriorates in quality after the first day. If there is some left over, wrap it tightly in plastic and store at room temperature for another day. Day-old focaccia is delicious in soup.)

HOMEMADE LEMON-PEPPER SEASONING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wash and dry the lemons. Peel away the zest from both lemons using a vegetable peeler, making sure not to get any of the pith. Spread out peels in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the peels have curled up and dried, about 30 minutes. Turn off oven and allow lemon peels to cool inside turned off oven, propping the door open with a wooden spoon to allow moisture to escape, about 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
• Combine dried lemon peels and peppercorns in a food processor fitted with a blade. Blend until coarse. Add dehydrated garlic and onion. Blend until fine and thoroughly combined.
• Remove and allow to rest for a few hours before using so flavors can meld.