Grandmas Focaccia Baraise Style Food

FOCACCIA WITH ROSEMARY AND GRAPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll the pizza dough into a rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper. Place the dough and the parchment on a baking sheet.
• Using a pastry brush, cover the top of the dough with olive oil. Sprinkle the dough with coarse sea salt. Sprinkle the dough with the garlic, shallot, and rosemary. Spread the grapes over the top of the dough and push down into the dough.
• Bake the focaccia until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

GRANDMA'S FOCACCIA: BARAISE STYLE

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes. When the potatoes are done, remove from heat, and drain, reserving one cup of potato water.
• Pour the flour and 1 tablespoon of salt out onto a clean dry surface. Make a well in the center, and use a ricer to rice the potatoes into the center. Knead the flour and potatoes together as best you can, and then make another well in the center. Dissolve the yeast in the potato water, then pour the mixture into the well. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth, and no longer sticky.
• Divide the dough into halves, and form into balls. Flour heavily, and cover with a few towels to prevent drafts. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat two large cookie sheets with olive oil.
• Press the dough out evenly onto the pan. Press indentations into the sheets with your fingers every couple of inches. Divide the can of tomatoes in half, and spread onto each sheet evenly. Place the onion and anchovies onto the sheets, and press in lightly. Sprinkle with salt and oregano to taste. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bottom is browned. Let cool to room temperature, then cut into squares using a pizza wheel.

FOCACCIA BARESE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the potato flakes, 1-1/2 teaspoons oil, salt, 1 cup flour and remaining water. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., 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 1 hour. Punch dough down. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes., Place 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 10-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet; tilt pan to evenly coat. Add dough; shape to fit pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , With fingertips, make several dimples over top of dough. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Blot tomato slices with paper towels. Arrange tomato slices and olives over dough; sprinkle with oregano and salt., Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

GRANDMA'S FOCACCIA: BARAISE STYLE

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes. When the potatoes are done, remove from heat, and drain, reserving one cup of potato water.
• Pour the flour and 1 tablespoon of salt out onto a clean dry surface. Make a well in the center, and use a ricer to rice the potatoes into the center. Knead the flour and potatoes together as best you can, and then make another well in the center. Dissolve the yeast in the potato water, then pour the mixture into the well. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth, and no longer sticky.
• Divide the dough into halves, and form into balls. Flour heavily, and cover with a few towels to prevent drafts. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat two large cookie sheets with olive oil.
• Press the dough out evenly onto the pan. Press indentations into the sheets with your fingers every couple of inches. Divide the can of tomatoes in half, and spread onto each sheet evenly. Place the onion and anchovies onto the sheets, and press in lightly. Sprinkle with salt and oregano to taste. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bottom is browned. Let cool to room temperature, then cut into squares using a pizza wheel.

ROSEMARY - GARLIC FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a bowl, stir together yeast, sugar and 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water and proof yeast for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
• Stir in 4 cup of flour, 1 tblsps of the olive oil and the salt, adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary to form a soft and slightly sticky dough.
• Transfer to a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, and let rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until double in size. Knead dough down and press with lightly-oiled hands into a well-oiled 15 ½ x 10 ½ inch jelly-roll pan and let it rise, covered loosely, for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set rack in center of oven.
• Dimple dough with your fingers in places, drizzle 2 tblsps olive oil over and spread over dough; sprinkle with rosemary, garlic and sea salt.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Note: I often make up the garlic/oil/rosemary mixture one or two days ahead of time and refrigerate it. Dried oregano is also a GREAT add-in.