FOCACCIA- TWO WAYS

My housemates and I are addicted to focaccia. I'm pretty sure we make it at least twice a week. And each recipe makes three rounds! I think the crisp crust and light interior of this focaccia are what make it so delicious:) The great thing about focaccia is that you can tailor it to complement so many different main dish flavors. That's why I decided to post two ways of serving this focaccia rather than just one. As long as you've got the dough to start things off, the recipe can take you wherever you'd like it to go! And, like I said, since it makes three rounds, you can try three different flavor themes all in one go and then decide which you like best and want to make next time! The first recipe is more traditional- some good old rosemary focaccia. You may not be able to beat it. Until you try the second, which is focaccia topped with rhubarb! You can serve either recipe with dinner, but the rhubarb focaccia also makes a great dessert. I'll throw some other ideas at the end that you can try out on your own:)

focaccia dough

4 teaspoons yeast

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3 teaspoons sugar

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

Place 1 ½ cups lukewarm water (105-115 degrees) in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over it and stir briefly to coat with water. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Stir oil, salt, and sugar into the yeast mixture. Stir in the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour until a soft dough forms. You may need to add more all-purpose flour. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can knead in a standing mixer with a dough hook attached for about five minutes. If you decide to use a standing mixer, finish the kneading by hand on a floured surface for one minute. Oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a dish towel. Then leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about one hour. Divide the dough into 3 equal-size balls. Transfer the balls to a baking sheet and cover loosely with a towel. Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Proceed with desired focaccia recipe below!

 rosemary focaccia

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 sprig rosemary, with about 10-15 leaves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

This one is easy:) Simply pat the dough into a circle in a 9-inch cake pan, leaving about a fourth of an inch between the round and the sides of the pan, brush the olive oil over the dough, and sprinkle the rosemary leaves and salt over the round. Bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes until the focaccia is golden brown. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack until ready to serve.

 rhubarb focaccia

1 tablespoon butter

1 ½ cups thinly sliced rhubarb

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Melt the butter in a cast iron pan over medium heat. Then add the sliced rhubarb and granulated sugar. Stir to coat evenly, and then sauté for about 5 minutes until the rhubarb has softened. The rhubarb will release juices that we'll want to thicken, so remove the rhubarb from the pan and scatter over the dough. Boil the rhubarb juices until thickened, about 2 minutes. Then pour these delicious juices over the focaccia round! Bake at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes until the focaccia is golden brown. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack until ready to serve.

other toppings to try:

sage

basil

oregano

crushed garlic

dash of cinnamon

thinly sliced tomatoes with fresh herbs and garlic

caramelized onion

parmesan cheese

thinly sliced lemon

plum with goat cheese

or... you can get creative and mix and match or try something completely new!