Miniature Olive Focaccias With Marinated Peppers Food

FRESH FOCACCIA WITH MARINATED CHICKEN AND SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE SPREAD

Steps:

• For the chicken: Marinate the chicken in the Balsamic Base for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Preheat a grill pan or grill over medium-high heat.
• Let any excess marinade drip off the chicken, and then grill the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through. Once cooked, let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Then slice thinly on the bias.
• For the spinach and artichoke spread: Squeeze the drained spinach with a kitchen towel to dry it out. Place into a food processor with the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add the artichokes. Pulse 2 to 3 times to leave the artichokes slightly chunky.
• For the sandwich build: Cut the Fresh Focaccia in half equatorially. Spread each half with Spinach Artichoke Spread. Then, on the bottom of the bread, sprinkle over the sliced sun-dried tomatoes, top with chicken slices, place a layer of mozzarella down and top with arugula. Place on the other half of bread and cut into as many pieces as you like and enjoy!
• Heat the balsamic vinegar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, salt, pepper, basil, thyme, garlic and shallots into the saucepan and stir. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let cook until the liquid is reduced by half, 30 to 45 minutes. Once the mixture is reduced, strain it through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and let cool. Store the balsamic base in the fridge; it's great in salad dressings, marinades, drizzled over steaks...let your imagination run wild.
• Place the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar, sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it bloom until bubbly, 5 to 15 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose and wheat flours together with the salt and chopped rosemary. Gradually add the flour mixture to the bloomed yeast in the mixing bowl. Then add 1/2 cup of the olive oil.
• Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be very loose.
• Transfer the dough to a clean, floured surface and knead the dough by hand for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Wipe out the bowl you mixed the dough in and then coat the bowl with some olive oil. Return the dough to the oiled bowl and let it rest in a warm place, covered with a dish towel, until doubled in size, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Spread the dough into the pan using your fingertips to create dimples into the dough. The more dimples you make, the more texture the bread will have.
• Using a pastry brush, oil the dough and place leaves of rosemary into some of the dimples. Top with the tomato slices and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Cover the dough again with the towel and let rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degree F and set a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Bake the dough until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

GRILLED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Mix all the marinade ingredients together and set aside. Cut the peppers into 2 or 4 pieces. Place the pieces on a plate and season them. Pour the marinade over the pieces and marinade for 15 minutes.
• Oil the grill and set it to medium heat. Cook the peppers over medium heat, turning often and basting occasionally until they are softened and the skin is blackened in spots.

MINIATURE OLIVE FOCACCIAS WITH MARINATED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Make tomato paste:
• In a small food processor purée tomatoes, reserved tablespoon oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan until smooth. Tomato paste may be make 1 week ahead and chilled, covered.
• Prepare Peppers:
• Broiler method:
• Preheat broiler. Quarter peppers lengthwise, discarding stems, seeds, and ribs. Put peppers,skin sides up, on rack of a broiler pan and broil about 2 inches from heat until skins ate blistered and charred, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle. Peel peppers.
• Gas stove method:
• Lay whole peppers, on their sides, on racks of burners (preferably 1 to a burner) and turn flame on high. Char peppers, turning them with tongs, until skin are blackened, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle. Peel peppers. Cut off tops and discard seeds and ribs.
• Cut roasted peppers into 1-inch-long thin strips. In a small bowl stir together peppers, garlic, oil, and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Marinate peppers at room temperature, covered, at least 3 hours. Peppers may be prepared 1 week ahead and chilled, covered.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. and lightly oil 2 large baking sheets.
• On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into a 16-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Cut out 36 rounds with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter and arrange 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Spoon about 3/4 teaspoon tomato paste onto each round and top with about 12 tablespoon marinated peppers. Sprinkle hors d'oeuvres with thyme.
• Bake hors d'oeuvres in batches in middle of oven 16 minutes, or until rounds are pale golden, and cool on a rack. Hors d'oeuvres may be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely, and chilled, covered, or 1 month ahead and frozen. Bring hors d'oeuvres to room temperature and heat in a 300°F. oven 10 minutes before serving.

OLIVE FOCACCIA DOUGH

Steps:

• In bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with dough hook stir together water, yeast, and sugar and let stand 5 minutes, or until foamy. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour, salt, pepper, oil, and olives and knead dough, scraping down dough hook occasionally and adding enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour to form a soft, slightly sticky dough, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat, and let rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Dough may be made 1 day ahead and chilled in bowl, covered with plastic wrap.

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.

SPICED OLIVES

Steps:

• Drain olives, discarding juice; return olives to the jar. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over olives; cover and refrigerate for 3-10 days, turning jar daily. Drain before serving.

HONEY GARLIC FOCACCIA WITH ROSEMARY AND ROASTED PEPPERS

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast and salt.
• Heat water, 4 T honey and oil until very warm (120° to 130°F); stir into dry ingredients.
• Stir in garlic and enough remaining flour to make soft dough.
• Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
• Divide dough into 6 equal pieces.
• Roll each to 4 x 5-inch oval.
• Sprinkle 2 large baking sheets with cornmeal.
• Place dough pieces on sheets.
• Sprinkle each piece with 1 tablespoon roasted pepper and 1/4 teaspoon rosemary.
• Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.
• Bake at 400 °F for 12 to 15 minutes or until done.
• Warm remaining 1 tablespoon honey; drizzle on top of focaccias.
• Remove from sheets; cool on wire rack.
• Bread Machine Variation 1 (all-size machines): Measure 2-2/3 cups flour, yeast, salt, water, 1/4 cup honey, oil and garlic into bread machine pan as suggested by manufacturer.
• Process on dough/manual cycle.
• When complete, remove dough to floured surface; knead in additional flour if necessary to make dough easy to handle.
• Roll out dough and proceed as directed.