Focaccia Bread

Yeast breads make me nervous. I have only made a yeast bread once, for my Basic Food Prep 101 class at BYU. Actually, it turned out fine but I was so nervous making it (being that I was going to be receiving a grade based on how well it looked & tasted) that I didn't enjoying making it.

So here we are 6 years later with my second attempt. Even with kids running around my feet, I still had a great time making this Focaccia Bread. I chose a recipe from The Mormom Cookbook since I have made many recipes from it in the past & they all turned out well. I used the dough hook on the Kitchen Aid mixer instead of stirring by hand (this was the first time the dough hook has ever been used!). Wearing my cute apron, I felt like a chef on Food Network as I kneaded the bread. When I checked my bread after letting it rise for 1 1/2 hours, I was hugely relieved that it did indeed rise. Everything went as planned, it bake up to a perfect golden brown & then I was given the best compliment of all. Patrick said, "Yum, this is better than Macaroni Grill!"

Note: I made this without the onion since I thought Will & Patrick would like it better that way. I still used the 2 tablespoons olive oil on the top by drizzling it and then using a pastry brush to distribute it evenly. Then I topped the oil with the salt & rosemary.

1 1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
3 1/2 cup flour
3 teaspoons salt, divided
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup warm water, divided
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary

In a small bowl combine yeast, the 1/2 cup warm water, and sugar. Stir & let stand 10 minutes to dissolve the yeast.
In a large bowl combine the flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, yeast mixture, and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir together and blend well. Slowly add UP TO 1/2 cup more warm water, as needed, to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Then place it in a large oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and put it in a warm spot. Let it rise 1 to 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Take the dough out of the bowl, knead a few times. Stretch it to fit a greased 9 - inch round pie pan. Use your fingers to make indentations all over the top of the bread. Brush 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on the top, cover with a towel, and let the dough raise for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl separate onion slices and toss them with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Gently scatter the onions and the rosemary on top of the Focaccia and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Transfer the Focaccia from the pan to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Kristin