Uncle Brads Focaccia Stuffing Recipes

THANKSGIVING STUFFING FOCACCIA

Steps:

• For the dough: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until foaming but not brown. Add the celery and onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the sage, bouillon cubes and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir in 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring often, until the bouillon is dissolved and has coated all the vegetables and the water has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, whisk the flour, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook on low speed, stir in the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, mixing until the flour is completely moistened. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. (The dough will tighten up, then begin to relax. After 5 minutes, it will be very wet and stick to the bottom of the mixer but not the sides.) With the mixer on low, add the cooled vegetables and the parsley.
• Rub 2 tablespoons olive oil around the bottom and sides of a large mixing bowl (big enough to hold at least double the volume of the dough). Using a scraper or spatula, transfer the dough to the bowl, flipping once to coat completely with oil. Cover with a plate and let sit until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with the back of a spoon, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.
• Pour the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil into the bottom of an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Use your hands to evenly distribute the oil along the bottom and up the sides. Scrape the dough into the baking sheet, flattening it slightly with your hands. Flip the dough once and gently stretch it to fit into an even layer in the baking sheet. (The dough may not stretch to the edges at this point. If it starts to pull back, let rest 10 minutes and re-stretch, making sure to pull from the center as well as the edges to get an even thickness.) Top evenly with the sausage and use your fingertips to make dimples over the surface of the focaccia, pressing firmly but not so hard you make holes in the dough.
• For the brine and finish: Dissolve 1 teaspoon kosher salt in 1/4 cup warm water. Drizzle over the surface of the focaccia, letting it pool in the dimples. Cover with an inverted baking sheet or cover loosely with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let sit in a warm place for 45 minutes to relax and rise again.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Uncover the dough and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through, until the focaccia is deep golden brown on the top and bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Drizzle with the olive oil and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to remove the focaccia to a wire rack to cool completely.

ROSEMARY FOCACCIA STUFFING WITH PANCETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 3-quart baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until browned, about 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
• Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in the skillet, then add the onion, celery, sun-dried tomatoes, sage, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
• Whisk the eggs and parsley in a large bowl. Add the focaccia, ciabatta, pancetta, vegetable-broth mixture and fontina; stir until combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the turkey drippings (or dot with butter); sprinkle with the parmesan.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes.

FOCACCIA STUFFING WITH APPLES AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Place cubed bread on ungreased cookie sheet; bake 10 to 15 minutes or until dry and crispy. Cool completely on cookie sheet.
• Meanwhile, spray 4-quart Dutch oven with cooking spray; place over medium-low heat. Add pancetta; cook about 13 minutes, stirring frequently, until rendered and lightly browned. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to large bowl; set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from Dutch oven; discard or reserve for another use.
• Melt butter with the 2 tablespoons pancetta fat in Dutch oven. Increase heat to medium-high; add onion, celery, salt and pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add apples; cook 2 minutes longer.
• Add broth to Dutch oven; heat to simmering. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, using spoon to release browned bits from bottom. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.
• Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Add eggs, thyme and sage to pancetta in bowl. Stir in bread. Pour broth mixture over ingredients in bowl. Stir to combine. Pour into baking dish.
• Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until center is hot and top is browned and crispy. Cool 5 minutes. In small bowl, stir together Topping ingredients. Sprinkle over stuffing in dish.

FOCACCIA STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet and a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Place cubed focaccia on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper; saute until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove focaccia from the oven and transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Pour onion mixture over top and mix to lightly combine. Gently stir in 1 1/4 cups chicken broth, or up to 1/4 cup more depending on how crispy or wet you prefer your stuffing.
• Return to the oven and bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes, stirring 1 to 2 times during baking.

FOCACCIA STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place cubed bread in a large bowl and set aside.
• In a dry skillet, toast pine nuts over medium heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the nuts to the bread cubes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often. To the bread bowl, add the onions and garlic, along with the sundried tomatoes, artichokes, basil, stock, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined well.
• Oil a 3-quart casserole dish and spoon the stuffing into the dish. Drizzle the last 1 tablespoon of oil over the stuffing. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

UNCLE BRAD'S FOCACCIA STUFFING

Steps:

• Slice and dice the focaccia bread into small cubes no larger than half a walnut and set aside. Chop the celery into pieces about 1/4 inch in width. Finely dice the onion. Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat. (Do not overheat the butter, the vegetables should be cooked and softened, not pan-fried.) Stir in the onion and celery, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 15 to 20 minutes. (This can be done up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. If so, reheat before continuing the recipe.) Once the turkey is brined and seasoned, and immediately prior to stuffing it, mix the stuffing ingredients with hot stock: (if including the optional sausage, cook and rinse it before mixing ingredients) *Optional sausage addition: In large, heavy skillet over moderate heat, sauté 1 pound mild pork sausage, breaking into small pieces with spoon, until meat shows no sign of pink. Rinse the excess fat off of the sausage with warm water. Proceed with recipe, adding the sausage to the stuffing. In a large bowl, mix the focaccia cubes, heated vegetables, celery salt, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper, and optional sausage. Stir in 1 1/4 cups hot stock. Immediately fill Turkey cavities and spread remainder into a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish and drizzle with 1/2 cup more of hot stock. Cover with aluminum foil and bake with the turkey until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove and set aside until the turkey is finished. When the turkey is removed from the oven, mix the stuffing from the turkey into the stuffing in the 9 x 13 baking dish. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden. Serve immediately.