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Onion Focaccia

Onion Focaccia
Focaccia is a great yeast bread to learn to make. It doesn’t require any special shaping and it requires only a short rising time. It is also versatile. You can eat it almost straight out of the oven, while it is still crispy on the outside and hot and soft inside, but you can also bake it a day in advance and use it for sandwiches or panini.

This Onion Focaccia is one of my favorites. Diced onions are incorporated directly into the bread dough and more are sprinkled on top before baking. The onions that are inside of the bread bake up to be very sweet and tender, while those on top of the bread caramelize and brown in the oven, adding another layer of flavor. I typically use dried rosemary on this bread because it goes very well with the onion. You can use finely chopped fresh rosemary, if you have it, but dried rosemary tends to be handier if you don’t grow your own herbs.

This bread is easy to mix by hand, but things will go a little bit faster if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook. Once the dough is mixed and risen, you’ll just turn it out into the pan to press it into shape. Focaccia usually has a dimpled surface. To achieve this look, use your fingertips and press the dough outward toward the edges of your pan, spreading it gently and gradually. The dough will look thin when it has been spread out, but it will still rise perfectly in the oven.

Onion Focaccia
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups water, warm (100-110F)
3 1/2 – 4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 large onion, diced, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp coarse salt

In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar, yeast and water. Stir mixture and let stand for 5 minutes, until yeast is slightly foamy.
Stir in 3 cups of the flour – or mix in with the dough hook of your stand mixer – and dough will start to come together. Stir in salt and half of the diced onion, then gradually stir in the remaining flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a slightly sticky ball. You may not need all of the remaining flour. Turn out onto a floured surface (or continue to knead with the dough hook) and knead until smooth. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan (at least 12×18-inches) with parchment paper or grease with olive oil.
When dough has risen, punch down the dough gently and turn it out onto prepared pan. Drizzle olive oil over the bread and use your fingertips to press and stretch the dough to a rectangle that is roughly 12×18-inches. Sprinkle with remaining diced onion, dried rosemary and coarse salt.
Let the dough rise for 20 minutes.
Bake bread for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 10

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13 Comments
  • Sherry
    January 19, 2011

    I don’t know why I have attempted focaccia yet?!? I definitely need to fix that. This looks so tasty!

  • Mom24@4evermom
    January 19, 2011

    Thank you so much, this sounds delicious. Thank you too for not being too much of a snob to use dried rosemary. Yes, I love fresh herbs, but by the middle of winter my rosemary bushes are dead and gone and I find dried rosemary to be very acceptable, much preferable to an inconvenient run to the store for over-priced “iffy” looking so-called fresh herbs that were packaged in plastic weeks ago.

  • Ryan
    January 19, 2011

    Oooh I’ve never made focaccia before, but it looks delicious 🙂 and onions are amazing. Will definitely be trying this soon!

  • MaryMoh
    January 19, 2011

    I love focaccia but have never tried making it myself. I must try sometime. Yours looks very delicious.

  • Pam
    January 20, 2011

    It looks great! I love focaccia but have never made it. Adding this to my list of must tries! Thanks!

  • Caroline
    January 20, 2011

    I’ve always wanted to try focaccia! It always sounds so fancy when you make a sandwich using focaccia bread, yet it’s so easy to make! Thanks for the inspiration!

  • Cat @ Buttery Bakery
    January 21, 2011

    I love bread, and focaccia is is definitely no exception! I love the crisp/chewiness. In the past I’ve always used garlic in the past, will definitely give onion toppings a try!

  • Cookie
    January 21, 2011

    I’ve never seen a recipe for Foccacia made in the stand mixer before and can’t wait to try this!

  • Farmgirl Susan
    January 26, 2011

    Yum! I love the idea of putting onions in the dough and on top of the focaccia. 🙂

  • Rachael Barna
    March 18, 2011

    Looks so tasty! 🙂 I’ve never made focaccia before, but I’m going to have to rectify that soon.

  • Brigitte
    April 17, 2012

    This was great! I tried it again, and no fail like usual. I subbed different flours, and this time left out the onions (so I can eat the rest for breakfast without plaguing my boyfriend with early morning onion kisses!)

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