Roasted Garlic, Rosemary, and Onion Focaccia

Looks are not deceiving.  This is actually that good!

Roasted Garlic, Rosemary, and Red Onion Focaccia
What You Need:

3 1/4 cups Flour (Can use Gluten Free)

1 1/4 cups Warm Water*

2 packets of Dry Fast-Acting Yeast
1 tbsp Sugar

2 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Olive Oil

5 tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 Red Onion, thinly Sliced

1/2 tsp Rosemary
8 cloves Roasted Garlic, halved

Kosher Salt to Top

To start you need to heat the water to about 100 degrees, but not boiling.  This sounds crazy but I let me tap water run to get super hot, and just use that for the "warm water".  Add the sugar and yeast to this, cover, and set aside for the yeast to hydrate and start feeding on the sugar (10 minutes).  Meanwhile sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl.  

After the 10 minutes, the yeast will almost resemble a pint of beer -- foamy, bubbly, and murky in color. This is perfect!  Add all but 1 pinch of the Rosemary to the flour and slowly add the yeast water and 1 tbsp olive oil to the flour mixture.  You will knead this until combines, but do not over knead.  At this point the bread will need to rise.  I use an 8X8 pan  or a round 9 in Pie Pan to bake the bread.  To do so, add the 5 tbsp oil to the pan, then place the dough into it, covering with a damp towel.  This will need a warm place to rise.  I've both let bread rise on my porch in the sun or even let the over heat to about 100 (turn to 200 and let pre-heat 5 minutes so it is not quite pre-heated.  Shut the oven off, open the door, and let it feel warm to touch -- place the covered bread in the oven and do not open for 2 hours) and let the dough rise in there (Turning the oven off of course so you don't start to bake the dough!).

After 1 - 2 hours, pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.   Top the dough with the Red Onion Slices and Halved Roasted Garlic Cloves, and brush with Olive Oil -- Sprinkling with kosher salt and the pinch of Rosemary (Left is the decorated unbaked bread).  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and pan (prevents soaking up extra oil) and let cool.  This bread is so amazing!  I hope you make it unique to your favorite spices and toppers!

Thanks for following and Enjoy!

XOXO,

Aimee