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.

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.

FOCACCIA WITH CAULIFLOWER AND SAGE

Steps:

• Mix up the focaccia dough as directed and set in a warm spot to rise.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the cauliflower and blanch for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain and pat dry. Cut the florets into small pieces and toss in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and freshly ground pepper.
• When the focaccia dough has risen, shape as directed into 1 large focaccia or 2 smaller focacce. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 425 degrees, preferably with a baking stone in it.
• Dimple the dough with your fingertips and arrange the sage leaves, then the cauliflower on top. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake, setting the pan on top of the baking stone (if using), for 25 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown and the cauliflower lightly colored in spots. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, or allow to cool completely.

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.

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.