Cheese Stuffed Focaccia Recipes

STUFFED FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Thaw dough.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Divide the dough into two.
• On a floured surface, either pat down or roll into two 10-11 inch circles.
• Place one circle on an oiled cookie sheet, and then sprinkle the cheese evenly over its surface.
• Spread the spinach across the top, and then cover with the remaining circle.
• Using your fingertips, gently press the edges together.
• Create dimples across the top surface using your fingertips, and drizzle over with the oil. Sprinkle the salt and rosemary on top.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve warm.
• Variation: Try stuffing the focaccia with thinly sliced tomatoes and basil leaves, shredded cooked ham and Fontina cheese, or simply a mixture of your favorite Italian cheeses.

FOCACCIA POCKETS

Steps:

• Stir the yeast and sugar into 1 3/4 cups warm water (about 100 degrees F) in the measuring cup or a small bowl. Let sit until foamy, about 3 minutes.
• Combine the flour and kosher salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the yeast mixture and 1/4 cup of the olive oil and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together. Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough, adding more flour or water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed, until the dough forms a loose ball that just pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead on high speed until the dough is smooth and elastic but still a bit looser than traditional bread dough, about 5 minutes.
• Coat a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the dough and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Coat a rimmed baking sheet with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the dough to the middle of the baking sheet. Gently stretch the dough all the way to edges of the baking sheet. If the dough springs back, let it rest for a few minutes and continue stretching. (Don't rush it; this process could take up to 10 to 15 minutes.)
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Use a pizza wheel to cut the dough lengthwise in half through the center, then make crosswise cuts to get 8 rectangles. Divide the pepperoni among the rectangles, placing it on the lower half of each rectangle and leaving a border around the edges. Dollop the ricotta on top of the pepperoni and spread with the back of a spoon, again leaving a border around the edges. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and pecorino, leaving the border free.
• Fold the top of each dough rectangle over the filling and press the edges to seal. Use a large spatula to help transfer the pockets to the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each pocket slightly with the palm of your hand. Trim the edges with a pizza wheel, if desired. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap from the pockets and use the tips of your fingers to gently dimple the dough all over. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with additional pecorino, the rosemary needles and flaky salt. Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until the pockets are golden brown on the tops and bottoms, about 20 minutes. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

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.

FOUR-CHEESE FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment proof the yeast with the sugar in the water for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy, add the flour, the salt, 3 tablespoons of the oil, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and combine the dough well. With the dough hook knead the dough for 2 minutes, or until it is soft and slightly sticky. Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to an oiled bowl, and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until it is double in bulk. The dough may be made up to this point, punched down, and kept, covered and chilled, overnight. Let the dough return to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. Press the dough evenly into a oiled jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inches, and let it rise, covered loosely, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is almost double in bulk.
• In a bowl stir together the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the mozzarella, the Gorgonzola, the Fontina, the onion, and pepper to taste and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dough. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the cheese mixture and sprinkle the focaccia with the coarse salt. Bake the focaccia in the bottom third of a preheated 400°F. oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it is golden brown, let it cool in the pan on a rack, and serve it warm or at room temperature.