Cucina Cucina Focaccia Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix the yeast into one side of the flour, and the fine salt into the other side. Then mix everything together, this initial seperation prevents the salt from killing the yeast.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil and 350-400ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a slightly sticky dough (you may not need all the water). Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until your dough is soft and less sticky. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Oil a rectangle, shallow tin (25 x 35cm). Tip the dough onto the work surface, then stretch it to fill the tin. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 35-45 mins.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples. Mix together 1½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp water and the flaky salt and drizzle over the bread. Push sprigs of rosemary into the dimples in the dough.
• Bake for 20 mins until golden. Whilst the bread is still hot, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold with extra olive oil, if you like.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
• When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Split the dough into 5 or 7 ounce balls and roll out very thin-- to 10 inches if you are using 5 ounces of dough and 13 inches for a 7 ounce ball.
• Brush with the olive oil, then spread the olives and a bit of salt over the skin.
• Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal and bake for about 10 minutes in a 400 F oven or until lightly browned.

Steps:

• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, proof the yeast by combining it with the warm water and sugar.
• Stir gently to dissolve.
• Let stand 3 minutes until foam appears.
• Turn mixer on low and slowly add the flour to the bowl.
• Dissolve salt in 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the mixture.
• Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil.
• When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium.
• Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook.
• Mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface and fold over itself a few times.
• Form the dough into a round and place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat the entire ball with oil so it doesn't form a skin.
• Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise over a gas pilot light on the stovetop or other warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Coat a sheet pan with a little olive oil and corn meal.
• Once the dough is doubled and domed, turn it out onto the counter.
• Roll and stretch the dough out to an oblong shape about 1/2-inch thick.
• Lay the flattened dough on the pan and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let rest for 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, coat a small saute pan with olive oil, add the onion, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until the onions caramelize.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Uncover the dough and dimple with your fingertips.
• Brush the surface with more olive oil and then add caramelized onions, garlic, olives, cheese, salt, pepper, and rosemary.
• Bake on the bottom rack for 15 to 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Brown bulk, chicken Italian sausage in olive oil and butter in soup pot. Stirring to encourage the meat to be as fine as possible. When brown, remove sausage with slotted spoon, set aside. Reserving juices in the soup pot.
• To the juices in the soup pot, add diced carrots, onions, celery and leeks. Cook over medium high heat until tender, adding more butter if needed.
• Add lentils and broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally to prevent lentils from sticking. When this comes to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 40 to 45 minutes.
• When lentils are tender, add sausage back to vegetables in the pot. Add cream, mustard, vinegar and spinach.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Return soup to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.

Steps:

• Lightly grease a pizza pan or large baking sheet.
• Without trying to completely cover pan surface, evenly pat out dough until 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick.
• Spread oil over top of dough.
• Evenly sprinkle with cheese, hot red pepper flakes and salt.
• Let rise, uncovered, until doubled, from 15 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
• Then, using your index finger, poke holes in bread right down to pan, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
• Bake in centre of preheated oven until golden, about 25 minutes.
• Slide bread off pan and onto a cooling rack.
• FOR FOCACCIA:.
• Replace cheddar with 1/2 cup (125 mL) Parmesan cheese.
• Omit hot red pepper flakes.
• Sprinkle with 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) rosemary or Italian seasonings.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast with sugar and water.
• Mix in all other ingredients.
• Let rise 20 minutes.
• Divide dough in 1/2, and spread out to 1/4 inch thick circle on two greased cookie sheets.
• On each spread first the olive oil then the garlic into the dough. Sprinkle with salt and fresh rosemary.
• Layer remaining ingredients, in order evenly over bread.
• Let rise 20 minutes and bake 400F Till cheese is melted and lightly browned around edges (approx 10-15).
• Serve warm or cooled.