Artichoke Brie Focaccia Recipes

ARTICHOKE FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast and salt, then gradually pour in 350ml tepid water, stirring as you go. Bring the dough together with a spoon, then with your hands. It should be soft, but not too sticky or wet. If it won't come together, pour in a little extra water; if the dough is too wet, add extra flour. Tip onto a floured work surface and knead for about 10 mins, or until it's smooth, soft and springs back when pushed with a finger. Leave to rise in an oiled bowl covered with cling film in a warm place for 1 hr or Packed with summer flavours until the dough has doubled in size.
• Strip leaves from half the rosemary and finely chop. Break the rest into smaller pieces. Drain the artichokes, reserving the oil, and chop into chunks.
• When risen, tip the dough onto an oiled work surface and roll out into a 35 x 45cm rectangle. Slip an oiled baking sheet under half of the dough. Top the half with artichokes, all the Parmesan and rosemary. Grind over black pepper and drizzle with a little of the reserved oil. Fold over the other dough half, pressing the edges together and under to seal. Leave to rise in a warm place, covered with the oiled cling film, for 30 mins. Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9.
• Drizzle with a little more of the oil and make dents in the top with your fingers. Pop the rosemary sprigs into the dents and grate over a little more cheese. Bake for 15 mins, until golden and risen. Cool on a rack for 30 mins, cut into squares and serve.

FRESH FOCACCIA WITH MARINATED CHICKEN AND SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE SPREAD

Steps:

• For the chicken: Marinate the chicken in the Balsamic Base for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Preheat a grill pan or grill over medium-high heat.
• Let any excess marinade drip off the chicken, and then grill the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through. Once cooked, let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Then slice thinly on the bias.
• For the spinach and artichoke spread: Squeeze the drained spinach with a kitchen towel to dry it out. Place into a food processor with the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add the artichokes. Pulse 2 to 3 times to leave the artichokes slightly chunky.
• For the sandwich build: Cut the Fresh Focaccia in half equatorially. Spread each half with Spinach Artichoke Spread. Then, on the bottom of the bread, sprinkle over the sliced sun-dried tomatoes, top with chicken slices, place a layer of mozzarella down and top with arugula. Place on the other half of bread and cut into as many pieces as you like and enjoy!
• Heat the balsamic vinegar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, salt, pepper, basil, thyme, garlic and shallots into the saucepan and stir. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let cook until the liquid is reduced by half, 30 to 45 minutes. Once the mixture is reduced, strain it through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and let cool. Store the balsamic base in the fridge; it's great in salad dressings, marinades, drizzled over steaks...let your imagination run wild.
• Place the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar, sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it bloom until bubbly, 5 to 15 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose and wheat flours together with the salt and chopped rosemary. Gradually add the flour mixture to the bloomed yeast in the mixing bowl. Then add 1/2 cup of the olive oil.
• Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be very loose.
• Transfer the dough to a clean, floured surface and knead the dough by hand for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Wipe out the bowl you mixed the dough in and then coat the bowl with some olive oil. Return the dough to the oiled bowl and let it rest in a warm place, covered with a dish towel, until doubled in size, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Spread the dough into the pan using your fingertips to create dimples into the dough. The more dimples you make, the more texture the bread will have.
• Using a pastry brush, oil the dough and place leaves of rosemary into some of the dimples. Top with the tomato slices and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Cover the dough again with the towel and let rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degree F and set a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Bake the dough until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• Put the spinach in a clean kitchen towel over a bowl or the sink and twist to squeeze out all the moisture. Coarsely chop.
• Put the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and garlic in a large bowl; mix vigorously until combined and smooth. (If you prefer, you can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Add the spinach to the cream cheese mixture, breaking it up as you add it. Add the artichokes, mozzarella and Parmesan, mixing to combine. Season with salt and pepper, then refrigerate until ready to use.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the egg with a splash of water in a small bowl. Roll out the puff pastry to a 13-by-12-inch wide rectangle. Cut a 1-inch wide strip of dough off the shorter end to create a 12-by-12-inch square, reserving the strip for decorating. Transfer the square to the prepared baking sheet. Place the wheel of brie in the center of the dough. Top with the chilled spinach-artichoke mixture. Fold the puff pastry up and over the brie, brushing the edges with a little egg wash and pinching to seal. Form the reserved strip of dough into a bow. Brush a little egg wash on the center of the pastry and gently press the bow on top to secure. Brush the bow and the entire exterior of the pastry with the egg wash, then return it to the refrigerator to chill, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes, then serve warm with crackers and/or crostini.

ARTICHOKE, TOMATO AND ASIAGO FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Scald the milk, and cool to lukewarm, not too hot, or it will kill the yeast (about 100F).
• Mix flour, yeast, oil and milk in a medium bowl, cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle on salt and mix dough in an electric mixer with dough hook on low medium speed, adding flour as needed until it is sticky and stretchy, and comes away from the sides of the bowl. (You can knead by hand, it will just take longer.).
• Let dough rest, covered, 30 minutes, knead again for about 5 minutes. The dough should be very sticky, but hold together in a ball.
• Rinse and drain artichoke hearts, and finely chop.
• Mix artichokes, tomatoes, and cheese, set aside.
• The tomatoes will absorb any excess moisture from artichokes and soften nicely.
• Let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Scrape out onto a floured countertop or large cutting board.
• Shape the dough into a rough rectangle.
• Roll with a floured rolling pin to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
• Top roughly 2/3 of the dough with cheese, tomatoes, and artichokes, the mixture should be damp, but not dripping wet.
• Fold dough into thirds, like an envelope, with the empty third over the center, and the other side over that, and roll again gently, until the fillings just begin to be visible through the top of the dough.
• Place dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.
• Preheat oven to 450F; let dough rise, loosely covered, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until puffy and soft.
• Brush dough with olive oil. Use fingers to make several small dimples in bread.
• Sprinkle with kosher salt, and more cheese if you like.
• Bake for 15 minutes, rotating pan after 10 minutes.
• Let cool slightly before cutting into squares.

FOCACCIA WITH BRIE

Steps:

• If using charcoal grill, place drip pan directly under grilling area, and arrange coals around edge of firebox. Heat gas or charcoal grill for indirect heat. Coarsely chop grilled peppers. Top focaccia with peppers, cheese and basil.
• Place focaccia over drip pan or over unheated side of gas grill. Cover grill; cook using high heat 10 to 15 minutes or until heated and cheese is melted. Cut into wedges to serve.

BRIE WITH ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Slice Brie in half horizontally. Place the bottom half in a small round baking dish or pie plate. Combine the artichokes, basil, oil, garlic, salt and cayenne; spread over Brie. , Replace top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Serve with crackers.

BRIE AND ARTICHOKE CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the artichoke bottoms, and let them stand in their cooking liquid until ready to use. Drain and scoop away the fuzzy choke from each. Cut the artichoke bottoms into 1/4-inch-thick slices. There should be about 1 cup. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Use a springform pan, 10 by 2 inches, with a removable bottom. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with wide aluminum foil, and brush all over with melted butter. Set aside.
• Rinse the spinach well. Pull or cut off and discard any tough stems; discard blemished leaves. Drain the spinach well. There should be about 3 cups loosely packed.
• In a saucepan, bring to a boil enough water to cover the spinach when it is added. Add the spinach, stirring it into the water. Cook about 1 minute or until wilted. Drain well. Squeeze to extract excess liquid. There should be about 1/2 cup. Chop the spinach, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a skillet, and add the onion and garlic. Add the spinach and toss to blend.
• Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, and beat well. Beat in the cream and milk. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the spinach mixture and blend.
• If a whole cooked potato is used, peel it and put it through a food mill or potato ricer. There should be about 1/2 cup. Add the mashed potato to the custard, and blend evenly. Pour the custard into the prepared pan, and place it in the oven. Bake 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim off and discard the tough outer coating from the Brie. Cut the cheese lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick wedges.
• Remove the pan from the oven, and sprinkle the artichoke pieces evenly over the top. Lay the strips of Brie flat in a circle like the spokes of a wheel around the top of the custard. Sprinkle the top with parsley, and return the pan to the oven. Bake 45 minutes or until a cake tester or thin skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the pie stand for 10 minutes before unmolding.
• To unmold, remove the circle of metal from around the pie. Pull down the foil. You may cut the pie into 8 wedges and serve it on plates directly from the kitchen. Or if you wish to display it, place a round plate over the top of the pie. Invert the pie onto this plate, remove the foil, and then place a serving plate over the bottom of the pie. Repeat the procedure, turning the pie right-side-up. Serve cut into 8 wedges with the tomato sauce on the side.

ARTICHOKE-BRIE FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Split focaccia (to make a top and bottom, like a sandwich).
• Place focaccia in a warm oven and heat just until crisp; remove and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Trim and discard rind from cheese; cut cheese into large pieces.
• Place in a medium microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds or until cheese begins to melt.
• Stir in artichoke hearts and bacon.
• Microwave cheese mixture on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until heated through, stirring once or twice.
• Spread mixture on focaccia bottom.
• Place focaccia top over mixture.
• Place on baking sheet.
• Bake, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes or until heated through.
• Cut into 4 x 1 inch strips or wedges. Garnish with rosemary if desired.