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I've been meaning to write down this recipe. This stuff is ridiculously good. I've never been able to make just one or two of these because everyone scarfs them down and looks at me with puppy dog eyes until I make more. These two are spinach and asagio, and tomato and asagio. You can easily make it vegan by not using the cheese. The best thing is the speed - you can think, "Hmmmm, focaccia sounds good right about now" and be eating it half an hour later.
Focaccia / Flat Bread (makes 2 reg pizza tin size)
* 1/2 cup shredded asagio cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
* a little salt to taste
* handful of locatelli romano
* whatever other toppings you like
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add a cup of very warm water (about 115 degrees) and mix (I just use a wooden spoon). Add oil. Mix or beat until batter becomes elastic and pulls away from side of bowl. Don't knead. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Divide dough in half. Press each half into a 12-in. pizza pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. I only have one tin so I make one at a time. Top with the cheeses and spices and extra ingredients such as tomato slices or chopped bell peppers. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. That's it! You just make the very easy dough, and while it's resting, you prepare whatever it is you want to top it the focaccia with.
Tomato slices - slice ahead of time and lay each slice on paper toweling to drain extra juices beforehand. Spinach - chop up and saute in a bit of olive oil beforehand. Onions - caramelize by browning in a bit of butter and sugar beforehand. Mushrooms and peppers can be put on fresh.
The three I usually make are these two (using either spinach or broccoli rabe), and then another with caramelized onions, chopped green bell peppers, and some kind of chopped mushroom.
Oh yeah.... obviously, feel free to use whatever kind of cheese/s you like best. The people in my family just happen to be asagio/pecorino romano lovers. Any combo of mozzerella / ricotta / provolone / parmesan or whatever....as long as it can survive 12 or so minutes in the oven and can play well with the other ingredients, it should be fine.
Oh, I'm so disappointed. I was really excited to make this for our Easter brunch tomorrow, but apparently grocery stores in this country don't sell yeast. There's only a couple specialty cake shops that carry it and, well, with it being Easter tomorrow they're all closed.
You've won this time.
But I'll be back. And next time I'm making focaccia.
Today i found myself flirting with cheese.
i caught myself walking back and forth in front of it, hoping one would just call out of me. It was so nice to be surrounded by a reasonable selection, i felt bad buying just cheddar.
i did have to splurge on the herbs.
mud, it's really flat, and it doesn't double, it rises just a little. But if you put it together (with the toppings and stuff) and then let it sit in the pizza tin, it will double in height. I've never tried it that way but that's what the directions say....you can pop it in the oven right away or you can let it sit for 10 minutes before you bake it. I don't know nuthin' 'bout yeast tho....
i'm thinking of whipping together some herbed focaccia now.
i was thinking of making bread but i've been eating these really soft herbs rolls from the store today and i couldn't get something that soft any time soon.
i just had the best sandwich, toasted provolone, basil, baby tomato, turkey, ham and dijon mustard.
Two batches of snickerdoodles done and lamb shanks marinating, it feels like a food fest.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
