Focaccia, the light-yeast flatbread beloved by Italians, offers a delicious alternative to traditional sandwich bread. Discover how to make your own homemade version.
Focaccia is a light-yeast flatbread originally from Italy, traditionally brushed with oil and sprinkled with flavorings such as herbs, onions, olives, salt and sometimes nuts. You can often find pesto and sun-dried tomato versions of focaccia at Italian bakeries. Today, this bread is becoming a popular alternative to traditional sliced white bread. It can be served fresh, split and filled with your favorite sandwich toppings, toasted, grilled or even pan-fried. It has a drier texture than familiar white bread which makes it perfect for holding moist foods such as marinated vegetables and cheeses. It makes a great addition to any summer picnic basket.
Making your own homemade focaccia isn't as difficult as you might think. Below we've given you a recipe for a focaccia you can master.
Focaccia with Herbs
SERVES 6 to 8
1 16-ounce package hot roll mix
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Lightly grease two 9x11/2-inch round baking pans or a 12- or 13-inch pizza pan. Set aside.
Prepare the hot roll mix according to package directions for the basic dough, using the 1 egg and substituting the 2 tablespoons of olive oil for the margarine. Knead the dough; allow to rest as directed. If using round baking pans, divide the dough in half; roll into two 9-inch rounds. If using a pizza pan, roll dough into a 12-inch round. Place in prepared pan(s).
Preheat the oven to 375º F.
In a skillet, cook the onion and rosemary in 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil until the onion is tender but not brown. Using your fingertips, press indentations every inch or so into the dough round(s). Top the dough evenly with the onion mixture. Cover the dough; let rise in a warm place until nearly double, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool.
Focaccia Wedges
SERVES 16
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup rinsed and drained canned white beans
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
4 Italian bread shells, each measuring about 6 inches
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Fresh marjoram (optional)
Preheat the oven to 450º F.
In a large skillet, cook and stir the onions and pepper over medium-high heat in hot oil, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the onions turn brown. Remove the onions to a bowl; set aside. Add the beans to the skillet; cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and thyme; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Mash the beans slightly.
Spread the bread shells with the bean mixture; top with the onions. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges. Garnish with cayenne pepper and marjoram, if desired.
Grilled Vegetable Focaccia
SERVES 6 to 8
If you don't have to time to make your own focaccia, look for the bread in Italian bakeries or your supermarket.
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
2 large red sweet peppers
1 medium eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
2 medium zucchini, halved crosswise and sliced
1 recipe Focaccia with Herbs (see recipe above) or purchased focaccia (about 1 12-inch round)
4 ounces soft cream cheese
In a small bowl combine the oil, vinegar, and oregano. Set aside. Cut the peppers in quarters. Remove the stem and seeds. Arrange all vegetables on a grill rack directly over medium-hot coals; brush with the oil mixture. Grill, uncovered, until slightly charred, allowing 8 to 10 minutes for the peppers and eggplant, and 5 to 6 minutes for the zucchini. Turn occasionally.
Cut each 9-inch Focaccia with Herbs into 2 layers. (Or, if using a 12- or 13-inch focaccia, cut in half. Cut halves into 2 layers to form 4 layers total.) Brush the cut sides with oil mixture. Spread the cream cheese over the bottom layers of focaccia; top with the eggplant, red pepper, zucchini, and the top halves of the focaccia. To serve, cut into wedges.
Focaccia Formaggio
To prepare this grown-up version of the classic grilled-cheese sandwich, split a wedge of focaccia bread (about 1 inch thick) in half horizontally.* Spread 1 teaspoon of olive oil on one side of each slice. Place 2 slices of provolone cheese (about 2 ounces), 3 to 4 fresh spinach leaves (washed and patted dry), and 1 tablespoon finely crumbled, cooked bacon between the unbuttered sides of the slices. In a large skillet or on a griddle, cook the sandwiches over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown. If necessary to prevent overbrowning, reduce the cooking heat to medium or brush on extra olive oil.
*Note: If using the thin focaccia bread, use two wedges, but do not split them in half.
