Focaccia With Caramelized Onions Pear And Blue Cheese Food

CARAMELISED ONION FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Mix the flours with the yeast and salt, add 1 tbsp oil, then pour in 320ml lukewarm water and mix well. You want a very soft dough - don't worry if it looks a little wet, this will make a lighter focaccia. Knead for 5 mins if using a stand mixer, or 10 mins by hand, using a dough scraper if you have one and lightly oiling your hands and the surface. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise until it has doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying pan with the remaining oil, add the onions and a pinch of salt, and cook gently for 20 mins or until very soft. Pour in the vinegar and cook for a further 10 mins until sticky. Set aside to cool.
• Oil an A4-sized roasting tin, scrape in the dough and reshape in the tin (see tip, below), gently pushing the dough into the corners. Scatter over the onions, cover with a piece of lightly oiled cling film and leave until puffed up.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Using your fingers, lightly dimple the dough all over, drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 30 mins until golden brown. Can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container.

CARAMELIZED-ONION FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Measure carefully, placing all dough ingredients in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
• Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use Delay cycle.
• Grease cookie sheet. Pat dough into 12-inch circle on cookie sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until almost double.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook onions in butter 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are brown and caramelized; remove from heat.
• Heat oven to 400°F. With fingertips or handle of wooden spoon, make deep depressions in dough at 1-inch intervals . Spread onions over dough. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until edge is golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Serve warm. Cut into wedges or squares.

MINI CARAMELIZED ONION FOCACCIA

Steps:

• For dough:
• Whisk together the warm water, yeast, sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl; let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk 1 1/4 cups flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture clumps together. Mix until incorporated. Add more flour, a little at a time, if dough is too wet.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces; roll each into a ball. Place on a flour-dusted baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes. (Dough can be made up to this point 1 day ahead. Keep covered and refrigerate.)
• For caramelized onions:
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion slices to skillet and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook onions without turning until they are softened and beginning to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add sherry vinegar and honey and stir well to incorporate; reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until onions are tender and brown, occasionally stirring gently, about 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt.
• Remove skillet from heat and cool. (Onions can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Sprinkle 2 baking sheets lightly with cornmeal. Roll out each dough ball to 3 to 4-inch rounds. Transfer 6 rounds to each prepared baking sheet. Pierce dough all over with fork. Brush generously with extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange onions evenly atop each round, leaving 1/4-inch plain border. Top with thyme leaves. Bake flatbreads until crusts are puffed and golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on top of each mini focaccia. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately.

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.

FOCACCIA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, PEAR AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and honey and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the flour and 1/4 cup of the oil; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining flour and the salt and knead until smooth. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic and let stand for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat one tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the sugar, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, for 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Oil a 9x13 inch rimmed baking sheet. Transfer the dough to the sheet and press it down to fit. Dimple the dough all over with your fingers and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Let the dough rise until puffed, about 20 minutes.
• Scatter the onions over the dough. Arrange the pear over the onions and sprinkle with the blue cheese. drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the focaccia and bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve.

CARAMELIZED ONION FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the onions, brown sugar, wine, salt and pepper in butter over medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes or until onions are caramelized, stirring frequently., On a greased baking sheet, roll out pizza crust into a 13-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Brush with oil. Top with onions and cheese. , Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.