Hump Day Recipe ~ Focaccia Bread

I hadn't made this in a long time, and all of the sudden I remembered this recipe and decided to make it last week. The recipe is called Italian Focaccia - Onion Bread, and it is from The Frugal Gourmet by Jeff Smith (remember him?). I changed it a tiny bit after I made it the first time. Notice there aren't any onions on mine.

Focaccia Bread

2 packages dry yeast, dissolved in 1 cup lukewarm water

3 cups unbleached flour

olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

6 green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

OR what I use - thinly sliced tomatoes, oregano chopped garlic

Fresh-cracked pepper

Place the water and yeast in a mixing bowl. Add half the flour, 1/4 cup olive oil, sugar and salt, and mix with electric mixer until smooth. Add the remaining flour, and blend in by hand. Place the dough on floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Place the dough on a Formica countertop or on plastic wrap, and cover with a large metal blow. Allow to rice about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

When it is doubled, punch the dough down and knead it for 1-2 minutes. Roll out to fit a greased 9 by 13" shallow pan (I used a round cake pan) and place in pan.Let rise until not quite doubled in bulk, then punch hoses all over it using a fork. Brush the top of the dough with some olive oil, and then the tomato paste. Mix together the yellow onion, green onions and garlic and sprinkle on top OR place thinly sliced tomatoes on top, maybe a little garlic and some oregano. Preheat oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

The Frugal Gourmet says this bread is great on a buffet, or slice it in half and use for Italian sandwiches. I've never done this, but it sounds good! A little salami, a few green olives, red wine on the side . . . mmmm.