Blue Cheese Bacon Focaccia Food

BLUE CHEESE-BACON FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and honey in 1/2 cup warm water (110°F-115°F) in a small bowl. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Combine 4 1/2 cups flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture, 6 tablespoons oil, potatoes, and 1 cup warm water. Mix with a wooden spoon until almost incorporated, then finish mixing with your hands. Transfer dough to a floured work surface and knead until smooth, 4-6 minutes, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough seems very sticky (dough should be soft and elastic).
• Brush a large bowl with oil; place dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free area. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until it is light golden but not crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Brush a 17x11x1" baking sheet with oil. Press dough into pan. Press with your fingertips all over, forming dimples. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over.
• Bake focaccia for 10 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over, then bacon and rosemary. Return to oven and bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes in pan. Slide bread onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice into 2x1" pieces.

FOCACCIA WITH BLUE CHEESE AND HONEY

Steps:

• In a large bowl or the work bowl of an electric mixer dissolve yeast in the milk. Add sugar and 1 cup of the flour. Mix well and let stand in a warm place about 15 minutes for the yeast to activate.
• Mix another 2 1/2 cups flour into the yeast mixture with the dough hook attachment until smooth. With the machine running, add 1 cup flour and knead for 6 minutes. Turn out onto a board and lightly knead in remaining 1/2 cup flour. The dough should remain rather wet to ensure a soft and light bread. Shape the dough into a ball and put it in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk about 20 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Press dough with finger to gently stretch dough to fit in pan, and then use a rolling pin to lightly flatten.
• Oil an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet with 1/3 cup olive oil. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Using your fingertips, nudge the dough into a rectangle.
• Cover and let rise again until doubled, 30 to 40 minutes.
• To bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Make indentations all over the dough by pressing with your fingertips being careful not to puncture all the way through the dough. Brush olive oil over the top, filling in the wells. Sprinkle the salt and rosemary over the surface. Bake until crisp on the bottom and golden brown on top, about 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cut into wedges, top with crumbled blue cheese and honey.

BLUE CHEESE, BACON AND PEAR BRUNCH SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Place the pear slices in a skillet, and pour in the apple juice. Cook over medium heat until the pears are soft, about 5 minutes. Drain pears and reserve; discard juice.
• Meanwhile, place the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.
• Preheat the oven broiler.
• Place the focaccia bread slices on a baking sheet. Divide the pear slices evenly among the bread, and top evenly with the bacon, and then with the blue cheese.
• Broil the sandwiches in the preheated broiler until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.