Sweet Pepper Focaccia Recipes

SWEET PEPPER FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°. Place focaccia on ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle evenly with pizza cheese blend. Top with bell pepper and tomatoes. Drizzle with dressing.
• Bake about 10 minutes or until edge of focaccia is golden brown. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and basil. Cut into wedges.

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.

SWEET FRUITED FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Tip the flour, yeast, caster sugar and cinnamon into a bowl with 1 tsp salt. Pour over 200ml warm water and the oil, then bring together into a sticky dough using your hands. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 mins until the dough comes together into a smooth, tight ball. Scatter over most of the fruit and knead until just evenly distributed. Tip the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, lightly oil a shallow 20-22cm cake tin. When the dough is ready, tip it into the oiled tin, stretch it to the side using your hands, then re-cover and leave to rest for another hour at room temp or put in the fridge overnight.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Scatter the rest of the fruit over the top of the loaf, then use your fingertips to push the fruit down into the dough - this will also create large air bubbles. Scatter over the granulated sugar. Bake for 20-25 mins until the focaccia is puffed up and golden. Immediately brush with maple syrup, if using - this creates a sticky glaze. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then remove to a wire rack and cool until just warm. Cut into wedges and enjoy, or spread with butter, jam or chocolate spread.

OLIVE FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and 1 cup flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, olives and parsley., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 50 minutes., Punch dough down. Shape into a 9-in. circle on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 25 minutes. With fingertips, make several dimples over top of dough. Brush with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and cheeses., Bake at 400° until golden brown, 14-18 minutes. Remove to a wire rack.

FOCACCIA WITH SWEET ONION AND CAPER TOPPING

Steps:

• Mix the focaccia dough as directed and set in a warm spot to rise.
• Meanwhile, prepare the onion filling. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy lidded skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the capers, thyme and garlic, and turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently, stirring often, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the onions have cooked down and are very soft and lightly colored but not browned. They should taste sweet. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
• When the focaccia dough has risen, shape as directed into 1 large focaccia or 2 smaller focacce. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 425 degrees, preferably with a baking stone in it.
• Dimple the dough with your fingertips and spread the onion mixture over the top in an even layer. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake, setting the pan on top of the baking stone (if using), for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown and bits of the onion topping are browned. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, or allow to cool completely.