Roasted Pepper Focaccia Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN WITH PEPPERS, FOCACCIA AND BASIL AIOLI

Steps:

• Prepare the chicken: Set the chicken on a work surface breast-side down. Use shears or kitchen scissors to remove and discard the backbone, then cut through the wishbone and along one side of the breast plate to separate the chicken into two halves. In a 9-by-13-inch (or similar size) baking dish, season the two chicken halves with half the oregano, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Drizzle with 3/4 cup vinegar. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours in advance.
• Blister the peppers: Turn the stovetop gas flames on high heat. Place the peppers directly over the flames, bottom-side down, and blister until the peppers are beginning to soften, rotating until the bottom, sides and tops are blackened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper bag, fold to seal and let cool, 5 minutes.
• Working over a bowl to collect the juices, peel each pepper, then tear into thick strips, discarding the stems and seeds as you separate the pepper. Season peppers with the remaining 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and toss to coat.
• Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Tear 2 pieces of focaccia (using about half the loaf) into portions that are slightly smaller than the 2 pieces of chicken. Rub both pieces of focaccia with the halved garlic and transfer to the baking dish. Place the marinated chicken on top of each piece of torn focaccia, skin side up. Tuck garlic heads and peppers around the chicken. Tear remaining focaccia into shards and tuck these around the chicken and peppers. Pour any juices from the peppers over the whole dish and drizzle the olive oil over everything.
• Bake until the chicken comes to 165 degrees, about 1 hour, depending on the size of your bird. If bread or peppers are getting burned before the chicken is fully cooked, cover those areas with aluminum foil and continue cooking.
• Meanwhile, prepare the aioli: Using a mortar and pestle, working in batches if necessary, mash basil with lemon juice, garlic and sea salt until it forms a paste. Either by hand in a bowl with a whisk or in a food processor, whirl egg yolks then begin adding the oil very slowly, whisking or blending until mixture is emulsified and thickened and all the oil has been added. (If mixture seems to thicken too much for the machine as you blend, pause to add a tablespoon of cold water.) Blend in basil paste until combined. Add additional cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve a dippable texture; season to taste with salt and lemon. (Makes 3 1/2 cups.) Use immediately or refrigerate until use, up to 3 days (see Tip).
• Once chicken is cooked through, remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve directly from the baking dish, family-style, with aioli on the side.

PEPPERED FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour, the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the yeast in large bowl. Heat water and 2 tablespoons of the oil until very warm (120°F to 130°F); stir into flour mixture. Beat with electric mixer on low speed about 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally, until batter is springy and pulls away from side of bowl. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Cover and let rise in warm pace about 1 hour or until double. (If using quick yeast, omit 1-hour rising; cover and let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.)
• Grease 2 cookie sheets. Stir down dough; divide in half. Place each half on cookie sheet; press into 12-inch circle. Brush each circle with about 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil. Top each with half of the bell peppers, cheese, basil, oregano, garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand 10 to 12 minutes.
• Heat oven to 425°F. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cut into wedges. Serve hot.

EASY ROASTED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Cut the peppers into quarters. Remove the seeds and the membranes. Roast the peppers until the skin blisters and turns black. Remove from oven and cover with plastic, or a tea towel, or place in a paper bag until cool. The skins should peel away off of the peppers easily when cooled.

PAMPERED CHEF ROASTED PEPPER FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Unroll pizza crust lengthwise over bottom of stoneware bar pan (or use 13" x 9" pan).
• Using fingertips, press indentations 1/2 inch apart into surface of dough.
• In small bowl, combine salad dressing and garlic; brush over dough.
• Sprinkle with half of mozzarella cheese. Top with peppers and olives.
• Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and seasoning.
• Bake 25 - 28 minutes or until deep golden brown.
• Remove from oven; let cool 10 minutes.
• Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

UPSIDE-DOWN PEPPERONI AND CHEESE FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Place the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Combine the warm water and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a liquid measuring cup. Turn the mixer to low and add the warm-water mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing until a loose ball forms, 1 to 2 minutes. (Alternately, do this by hand: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, then add the warm water and oil and stir with a wooden spoon.)
• Increase the speed to medium-high and knead the dough until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky, about 7 minutes. (If using your hands, gather the dough into a ball, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead, dusting your hands and the surface as needed with flour, about 5 minutes.)
• Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large bowl, using your hands to coat the inside completely. Pour the remaining 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil into an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet, tilting and swirling to coat it with oil. Cover the bottom of the oiled pan with a single layer of the pepperoni, then crush and sprinkle the dried oregano evenly over the pepperoni. Using oiled hands, divide the dough in half, placing half into the oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Place the other half into the prepared pan, spreading gently with your hands. (Dough will not completely cover the pepperoni at the point; you will stretch it further later.) Dip a pastry brush in the oil on the baking sheet and brush oil over surface of dough. Cover both the baking sheet and bowl of dough loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the dough fills about two-thirds of the baking sheet and the dough in the bowl doubles in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove plastic wrap from the baking sheet and bowl. Gently using your hands, press and stretch the dough to completely cover the bottom of the pan evenly, doing your best to keep the pepperoni in a single layer. Sprinkle mozzarella in an even layer over the dough. Using oiled hands, remove the dough from the bowl and stretch and gently press into an even layer over top of the mozzarella. Pour any remaining oil from the bowl over top of the dough and use a pastry brush to brush evenly over the surface. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume and extremely puffy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F.
• Bake until the top is deep golden brown, bread has pulled away from sides of baking sheet and oil is sizzling around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let cool for a few minutes before inverting onto a cutting board. Cut into squares with a pizza cutter and serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

STUFFED FOCACCIA WITH ROASTED PEPPER VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Cut bread in half, horizontally, using a serrated knife, place cut sides up on a baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with 1 cup Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette. Sprinkle evenly with goat cheese and pine nuts.
• Bake at 400F for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Remove meat from chicken, and coarsely chop. Sprinkle chicken over bottom bread half. Top with lettuce and tomatoes, cover with top bread half. Cut into 6 wedges. Serve immediately with remaining 1/2 cup Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette.
• Vinaigrette:.
• Process in a blender until smooth.

ROASTED EGGPLANT PARMESAN FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut eggplant into twelve 1/4-inch rounds and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Spray both sides with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from the oven and turn on the broiler.
• When you flip the eggplant, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cherry tomatoes, arugula, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Stir to flatten the cherry tomatoes and cook until arugula is wilted and sauce is hot, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place focaccia bread on the second baking sheet. Top each piece with 3 eggplant rounds and an equal amount of tomato sauce, then sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
• Place under the broiler until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with oregano and serve.

GRILLED TUNA AND ROASTED PEPPER SANDWICHES ON THYME FOCACCIA

Steps:

• If using tuna steaks, prepare grill.
• Season tuna steaks with salt and pepper and grill on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. (Alternatively, tuna steaks may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.) Transfer tuna to a platter and cool. In a large sealable plastic bag combine lemon juice, thyme, and 1/4 cup oil and add grilled tuna. Marinate grilled tuna, chilled, turning bag occasionally, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. If using canned tuna, drain tuna and in a bowl stir together with lemon juice, thyme, 1/4 cup oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
• In a bowl toss together parsley, onion, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Pat roasted peppers dry. Halve focaccia horizontally and layer one half with peppers, tuna, capers, and parsley salad. Top sandwich with remaining focaccia half, pressing gently, and cut lengthwise in half and crosswise into thirds to make 6 sandwiches. Cut sandwiches in half diagonally and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill sandwiches at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.