Focaccia is one of the easiest breads to make and one of the most rewarding. The Italian version of a flat bread, focaccias derive their tender chewy interior from the oil added to the dough, the crispy edges and surface come from baking on an oiled sheet as well as the drizzle of olive oil just before baking. Focaccias can be flavored with virtually any seasoning scattered across the top - the simplest usually being chopped rosemary and flaky salt. This focaccia with grapes, pancetta, and rosemary from Bread Toast Crumbs is a lovely incarnation of the fluffy Italian bread.
One of the great things about focaccia is they are a really quick and simple bread to make. They don't require much rise time, meaning with focaccia you can produce some really great flavorful bread in about 3 hours, with only snout 15 minutes active prep work.
I made Alexandra's focaccia on one of the hotter days last fall, and I felt like a huge jerk because the furniture repair inspector had to spend 30 minutes sweltering while inspecting my damaged items. It would have been hot anyway, but having the oven at 425°F really didn't help matters.
I'm not sure I loved this focaccia as much as I like the whole wheat & orange foccacia from Divine Foods, mostly because I was missing the wheat flavor in the dough.
Obviously, I had to test my judgement by altering the recipe for the focaccia with grapes to include 25% whole wheat flour instead of 100% all-purpose flour.
With the added texture and flavor from the whole wheat, I really enjoyed this focaccia. It makes for a great appetizer or it can be paired with some simple greens for a fast lunch/dinner.
I realize grapes aren't in season now (they'll be back in full glory come autumn). You don't have to use grapes here - they're providing sweetness, which you could get by adding thinly sliced pear instead.
Keep in mind (I did not, much to my regret) that because this has meat on it, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator, not out at room temperature like most "standard" breads.
Ingredients
for the dough
- 4 cups (512 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 cups lukewarm water
for assembly
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for greasing
- 3 cups sliced onions (about 3 medium onions halved and thinly sliced}
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup halved seedless grapes red or green
- 1 cup finely diced pancetta
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl. Add the water, then stir together until a sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel (or plastic wrap), and set it aside in a warm spot to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1-1.5 hours.
- Meanwhile, get the fillings prepped (onions sliced, grapes halved, pancetta diced, rosemary minced).
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. When it starts to shimmer, add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cook, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are lightly golden, about 15 minutes. [Don't overdo it here, as they'll cook more in the oven.] Remove from the heat and let them cool.
- Put a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or light-colored 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil onto the sheet pan. Deflate the dough with two forks by pulling it towards the center of the bowl. Rotate the bowl by quarter turns as you deflate the dough, gently forming a rough ball. Lift the dough into the sheet pan using the two forks, then roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over. Let it rest for 20 minutes without touching.
- Grease your hands lightly with olive oil so the dough doesn't stick, then gently press down on the dough in the pan, then gently stretch the sides outward to all four corners. When the dough starts resisting being stretched, let it rest for 5 minutes, then stretch it again. Repeat the gently pull/rest cycle until the dough fills out most of the sheet pan. This shouldn't take more than a few rounds. Use all ten fingers to dimple the top of the dough.
- Scatter the cooled caramelized onions over the surface of the dough, followed by the halved grapes, the diced pancetta, and the minced rosemary. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over top of everything, then once again, use all ten fingers to dimple the dough and gently stretch the sides towards the edges of the pan (if necessary).
- Place the pan in the oven oven and bake for 25 to 40 minutes (depending on which pan you used), until the top turns golden brown and the bottom is crisp. Check to be sure none of the toppings start to blacken/burn, if they do, you can gently cover the top with foil.
- Remove the focaccia from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then cut it into squares and serve warm.
