Focaccia

I love baking my own bread and especially love the warm cozy aroma it fills my home with. Focaccia is an Italian flat bread and is usually topped with herbs or veggies. This recipes features caramelized onions, rosemary and red pepper flakes.

This can be eaten alone as an appetizer or paired with a main coarse as a side. I think I'll be making this next time I decide to serve pasta. Sorry garlic bread, you have been replaced : ]

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Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

* 1 Tb sugar

* 1 1/2 cups warm water

* 1 packet active dry yeast

* 6 cups all-purpose flour

* salt

* 1 /3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

* 1 Tb vegan margarine

* 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

* 1 tsp dried rosemary

* 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar and stir to combine. Let sit for about 15 minutes or until mixture is foamy.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and 1 Tb salt. Add the flour mixture, about 1 cup at a time and the 1/3 cup oil, a spoonful or two at a time, to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until a firm, smooth dough forms. Place the dough in a oiled bowl, turning over to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.

4. Meanwhile, place a saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tb oil and the margarine and heat for 30 seconds. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until very soft and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.

5. Line a 15 x10 inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush or spray the parchment paper with oil. Turn the dough out onto the parchment and pull and stretch it with your hands to fill the pan. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick. Use your fingertips to make dimples all over the dough, about 1 inch apart. Let rise, covered, for another 20 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 3 Tb oil, the red pepper flakes, rosemary, 2 tsp salt and the black pepper.

7. Brush the top of the dough with the oil mixture. Bake for 7 minutes, then rotate the pan front to back, spread the onions over the top, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden and crusty. Remove the dough to a cutting board, let cool for at least 10 minutes, then cut into squares.

* Recipe from Tal Ronnen's "The Conscious Cook." I did made a couple changes and substitutions to his original recipe.