Grape Ricotta Breakfast Focaccia Food

FABULOUS FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, proof the yeast by combining it with the warm water and sugar. Stir gently to dissolve. Let stand 3 minutes until foam appears. Turn mixer on low and slowly add the flour to the bowl. Dissolve salt in 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the mixture. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface and fold over itself a few times. Form the dough into a round and place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat the entire ball with oil so it doesn't form a skin. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise over a gas pilot light on the stovetop or other warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Coat a sheet pan with a little olive oil and corn meal. Once the dough is doubled and domed, turn it out onto the counter. Roll and stretch the dough out to an oblong shape about 1/2-inch thick. Lay the flattened dough on the pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, coat a small saute pan with olive oil, add the onion, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until the onions caramelize. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Uncover the dough and dimple with your fingertips. Brush the surface with more olive oil and then add caramelized onions, garlic, olives, cheese, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Bake on the bottom rack for 15 to 20 minutes.

THE BEST FOCACCIA

Steps:

• For the dough: Whisk together the flour, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook on low speed, stir in the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, mixing until the flour is completely moistened. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Add the salt and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. (The dough will tighten up, then begin to relax. After 5 minutes it will be very wet and stick to the bottom of the mixer but not the sides.)
• Rub 2 tablespoons olive oil around the bottom and sides of a large mixing bowl (big enough to hold at least double the volume of the dough). Using a scraper or spatula, transfer the dough to the bowl, flipping once to coat completely with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Pour the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil into the bottom of an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Use your hands to evenly distribute the oil along the bottom and up the sides. Scrape the dough into the baking sheet, flattening it slightly with your hands. Flip the dough once and gently stretch it to fit into an even layer in the baking sheet. (The dough may not stretch to the edges at this point. If it starts to pull back, let rest 10 minutes and re-stretch, making sure to pull from the center as well as the edges to get an even thickness.) Use your fingertips to make dimples over the surface of the focaccia, pressing firmly but not so hard you make holes in the dough.
• For the brine and finish: Dissolve the kosher salt in 1/3 cup warm water. Drizzle over the surface of the focaccia, letting it pool in the dimples. Cover loosely with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let sit in a warm place for 45 minutes to relax and rise again.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through, until the focaccia is deep golden brown on the top and bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Drizzle with the olive oil and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to remove the focaccia to a wire rack to cool completely.

RED GRAPE FOCACCIA

Steps:

• On the day or the night before, cut up 1 potato into quarters and boil it with its skin on until fork tender. Chill until ready to use, if making the night before.
• Warm together the potato and milk.
• Meanwhile, place the flour, salt, olive oil, and yeast in a mixing bowl with a dough hook making sure the yeast isn't touching the salt. Pour in the warmed milk and potato and mix on low for 6 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit 1 hour or until double in bulk.
• Turn the mixer on to punch down the dough, then turn it out onto a flour work surface. Roll the dough into a flat rectangular sheet. Grease a sheet pan well with olive oil and transfer the dough to that pan. Continue to roll the dough into the corners of the pan to fit it exactly.
• Prick the dough all over then rub the surface with more olive oil. Dot the surface with grapes in even rows. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until it reaches the top of the sheet pan.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in pan only a few minutes, then slide it out of the pan (steam gets trapped under the dough and can get soggy if you leave it in the pan too long). Cut into rectangular pieces and serve.

BREAKFAST FOCACCIA WITH GRAPES AND FIGS

Steps:

• To make the dough, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the olive oil and the salt. Whisk, then stir in the flour 1/2 cup at a time to make a soft dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and form it into a ball. Put the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning the dough to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Prepare a medium-hot fire (425°F) in a wood-fired oven or cooker.
• Lightly oil a 12 by 17-inch baking sheet. Place the dough on the pan and stretch to cover as much of the pan as possible. Dimple the top and stretch again. Cover with a towel and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
• Brush the dough with 3 tablespoons of the orange olive oil and sprinkle on the rosemary and 1 tablespoon of the vanilla turbinado sugar. Gently press the grapes, figs, and candied orange peel into the dough. Dimple the dough again. Cover with a towel to rest for another 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle on the remaining vanilla turbinado sugar and place in the oven. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the remaining orange olive oil. Place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the baking sheet to further cool. Cut into serving-size squares or rectangles and serve.
• Candied Orange Peel
• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest and part of the white pith from the fruit in strips. Cut the peel into 1/8-inch-wide strips. Place in a nonreactive saucepan and cover with the simple syrup. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss with the sugar and leave out uncovered overnight to let dry.
• Place in an airtight jar with half of the sugar. Reserve the remaining citrus oil-infused sugar in a separate jar for future use as a garnish or as flavored sugar.
• citrus olive oils
• Some condiment olive oils are a combination of two fruits, the olive and a citrus fruit, that have been pressed together. The process allows all the essential oils of the citrus to join with the oil of the olives. My favorite ones are from the Olive Press in Sonoma, California (see Resources). These finishing oils are wonderful as a baking ingredient, a dressing ingredient, in a marinade, or as a finishing oil simply drizzled over grilled fish or tossed onto plain pasta. They will transform the simplest of foods. Try the Meyer lemon, blood orange, and clementine oils (see Resources).
• vanilla turbinado sugar
• Turbinado sugar is a natural raw cane sugar that has not been bleached or over-processed. It is the result of slowly boiling layer upon layer of sugarcane, which allows the golden chunky crystals to retain their natural molasses and richness of flavor. Use it as an ingredient (especially to sweeten whipped cream) or sprinkle it on cookies or pie crusts. To make vanilla turbinado sugar, place a used vanilla bean pod or two in a jar of turbinado sugar and let stand for about 1 week to infuse the sugar with the vanilla flavor.

BREAKFAST RICOTTA WITH BERRIES & MAPLE SYRUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small saute pan over medium heat. Stir in the almonds and saute, tossing frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the almonds are a golden brown. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel, add the maple syrup and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, honey and vanilla and divide it among breakfast plates. Surround the ricotta with the berries and spoon the almond and maple syrup mixture over the ricotta. Place a slice of toasted brioche on each plate and serve warm.
• Set a medium-meshed sieve over a deep bowl. Line the sieve with two double layers of cheesecloth and dampen the cheesecloth.
• Pour the milk and cream into a large stainless steel or enameled pot such as Le Creuset and stir in the salt. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally (a full rolling boil means that the bubbles have expanded in the pot). Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for one minute until it curdles.
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl, discarding the liquid as it collects in the bowl. Allow it to drain at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker it will be. Transfer the ricotta to another bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining liquid. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Yield: about 2 cups

GARDEN FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups flour with 1 cup room-temperature water and 1/4 teaspoon yeast in a medium bowl. Stir to make a shaggy dough, making sure there are no dry pockets of flour or yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until there are large air bubbles on the surface and the dough has risen, about 4 hours.
• Combine 3/4 cup warm water with 3 tablespoons olive oil and the honey in a liquid measuring cup; stir to dissolve the honey. Combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons yeast and the kosher salt in a large bowl; stir to combine and make a well in the center. Pour the honey mixture into the well. Add the risen dough mixture and stir until combined. It will be very stretchy, but continue stirring until a shaggy dough forms, making sure there are no dry pockets of flour or yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until more than doubled in size and there are air bubbles on the surface, 1 to 2 hours.
• Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, then pour 3 tablespoons olive oil in the middle. Oil your hands, then run your hands down the inside of the bowl and remove the dough (it will deflate). Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and turn to coat in the oil. Shape the dough into a 12-inch-long oval, gently tucking the edges under if the dough spreads too much. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size and there are air bubbles on the surface, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Uncover the dough, then press with your fingertips to create dimples in the surface. Top with vegetables and herbs in a garden pattern.
• Drizzle the dough and vegetables with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and gently rub it into the vegetables, pressing them into the dough. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the bottom of the focaccia has browned, the top is golden and the vegetables are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes on the baking sheet.

GRAPE ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• 1. Saute garlic in olive oil. Add grapes and heat thoroughly. Remove pan from heat; add cheese and rosemary; mix well.
• 2. Press pizza dough to fit two 12-inch pizza pans. Spread mixture evenly between the two pans.
• 3. Bake at 400°F 10 minutes or until topping and edges of bread brown. Cut each into 8 pieces.

GRAPE FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a small skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Stir in 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.
• Place 3/4 cup (177 grams) lukewarm water (105 to 115 degrees) in a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over it. Let it stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the olive oil mixture, 1 2/3 cups flour, cornmeal, 3 tablespoons (54 grams) sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, or knead in a stand mixer with a dough hook attached, for about 5 minutes. If using the stand mixer, finish the dough by hand, on a floured surface, for 1 minute. Add more flour; it could need as much as another 1/4 cup (31 grams) if the dough feels very sticky (you want damp but not unworkable dough).
• Oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat it lightly with the oil. Cover the bowl with a dish towel. Place the bowl in a warm place, and let it rise until the dough has doubled, about 1 hour.
• Halve the grapes if they are large. If using Concord, pit them.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil a large cookie sheet or baking pan (11-inch by 17-inch) with some olive oil.
• Punch down the dough, then pat it into the pan, stretching into an oval about 3/8- to 1/2-inch thick - it should not fill the entire pan. Dimple the dough with your fingertips. Scatter the grapes and pine nuts, if using, over the dough, pressing them in lightly. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons (36 grams) sugar, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and flaky sea salt over the grapes. Drizzle all over with plenty of oil. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.