Caramelized Onion Focaccia

This is one of those classic recipes that everybody does differently in each household. Although it has a simple base you can get so creative with toppings and butters. This focaccia bread is so soft and delicious yet crispy on the outside. Perfect for sandwiches and soups.

There are a few important steps when preparing so you get the best rise.

Step 1: Mix

Bloom your Yeast: mix active dry yeast with lukewarm water and honey. Let it sit until it’s foamy about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix the dough. Let it rest covered with a damp cloth for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Step 2: Stretch & Fold

Stretch & Fold- This will help the gluten in the dough. Repeat until it feels like it’s got some tightness. Let rest for 10 minutes then repeat one more time.

Step 3: 1st. Proof

Wet your hand and flip your dough so you have a smooth top facing up. This will help the air bubbles form. Drizzle and coat the dough with lots of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Cover your dough with plastic wrap nice and tight. Place in the fridge and let it rest overnight (about 24 hours).

Step 4: 2nd. Proof

Use a 9” x 13” baking dish if you have one or a round baking pan will do. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan and place a sheet of parchment paper on top. The paper will stick to the pan so it’s easier to work with. Next, add a drizzle of olive oil to the parchment paper and spread evenly.

Pull the dough out of the fridge and gently remove and let the dough fall onto your lined baking dish.

Next you will rub your fingers with olive oil so the dough dosen’t stick. Fold the dough again softly and flip the dough so you have the smooth side up.

I covered the baking dish with a cookie sheet and placed it on top. Then set it aside for 2 hours to rise.

Step 5: Dimpling & Toppings

• Start preheating your oven to 430F.

Dimpling- The dough should look nice, full, and bubbly sticking to the top of the cookie sheet (just perfect 😍). Next, drizzle the top with olive oil and oil your hands. Press your fingers down to the bottom forming dimples. Try to skip around the air bubbles. You want nice pockets of air when you bake it off.

Toppings- I mixed flaky sea salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, and added caramelized onions. I also added the same ingredients to a blender with butter and garlic as a compound butter to spread (it is so good🤤).

Step 6: The final count down 🤤

Note: Depending on your oven, make sure to check if it has a nice crispy outside.

Place on the bottom of the oven and bake for 30 minutes until nice and crispy.

Let it cool then transfer it to a wire rack to finish cooling for about 20 minutes (if you can take the wait 😜). You can brush with a little more olive oil to give it a glistening finished look.

I hope you love this as much as I do 😁. Enjoy!

Caramelized Onion Focaccia

The perfect focaccia it's soft in the middle and crispy on the outside.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 days d

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 3/4 cups water (lukewarm)
• 1 1/4 tsp dry yeast
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Toppings:

• 1 Yellow onion-Caramelized
• Flakey sea salt
• crushed red pepper
• cracked black pepper
• good quality olive oil

Instructions

 

• First mix yeast with luke warm water and honey. Let it sit until it's foamy about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix the dough. Let it rest covered with a cloth for 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Stretch & Fold- This will help the gluten in the dough. Repeat until it feels like it's got some tightness. Let rest for 10 minutes then repeat one more time.
• Wet your hand and flip your dough so you have a smooth top facing up. This will help the air bubbles form. Drizzle and cost the dough with olive oil. Cover your dough with plastic wrap nice and tight. Place in the fridge and let it rest over night (about 24 hours).
• Use a 9” x 13” baking dish if you have one or a round baking pan will do. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan and place a sheet of parchment paper on top. The paper will stick to the pan so it's easier to work with. Next add a drizzle of olive oil to the parchment paper and spread evenly.

  Pull the dough out of the fridge and gently remove and let the dough fall onto your lined baking dish.

  Next you will rub your fingers with olive oil so the dough dosen't stick. Fold the dough again softly and flip the dough so you have the smooth side up.

  I covered the baking dish with a cookie sheet placed on top. I set it aside for 2 hours to rise.
• Start by preheating your oven to 430F.
• Dimpling- The dough should look nice, full, and bubbly sticking to the top of the cookie sheet (just perfect 😍). Next drizzle the top with olive oil and oil your hands. Press your fingers down to the bottom forming dimples. Try to skip around the air bubbles. You want nice pockets of air when you bake it off.
• Toppings- I mixed a bit of flaky sea salt, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and added caramelized onions. I also added the same ingredients to a blender with butter and garlic as a flavored butter spread (so good👌🏼).
• Note: Depending on your oven make sure to check if it's got a nice crispy outside.
• Place On the bottom of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
• Let it cool then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling about 20 minutes (if you can take the pain lol). You can brush with a little more olive oil to give it a glistening finished look.