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Garlicky Focaccia With Onions, Red Pepper Flakes and Rosemary

Time40 minutes
YieldsServes 8
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When friends come over and you find yourself the cook, you don’t want to get stuck at the stove. You’d rather be chatting and enjoying the fun. Easy-to-serve do-ahead food that can be put out buffet-style is just the ticket.

Pasta shells filled with a ricotta-spinach mixture, sauced with marinara (a meat or mushroom sauce would work well, too) and sprinkled with cheese can be put together up to two days ahead, then baked while you’re munching on appetizers.

Serve it with a chopped antipasto salad, a crunchy, robust mix of appealing ingredients that improves in taste when made in advance.

Chilled beer or a jug of Chianti works well with all of these flavors. Add a bowl of fresh strawberries with cookies for dessert, and you’re all set for a great time.

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1

Stir yeast and honey into warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2

Put all-purpose flour, rye flour and salt in food processor. Turn on processor and slowly pour yeast mixture through feed tube. Process dough until it just works away from sides of bowl but is still quite moist. With processor running, add 3 tablespoons olive oil through feed tube. Dough should be moist and sticky and form mass, but not ball. If dough is too sticky, add more flour; if too dry, add more water. Process until uniformly supple and elastic, 30 to 40 seconds. Or use electric mixer with paddle attachment.

3

Transfer dough to large plastic food bag and seal, allowing enough room for dough to double in size. Let rise in warm spot until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When doubled, punch down. Either use dough immediately or refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze. Bring to room temperature before using.

4

Divide dough in 1/2. With floured hands, stretch each 1/2 into free-form circle about 10 inches wide. If dough resists reshaping, let it rest briefly and try again. Place dough on large oiled baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal.

5

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil and garlic until simmering. Pour through fine sieve, pressing garlic to release flavor. Discard garlic. Brush each piece of dough with warm oil. Top with onion slices and sprinkle with red pepper flakes, salt and rosemary.

6

Bake at 500 degrees until lightly browned on edges and well browned on underside, about 10 minutes, reversing pans once for even browning.

7

Remove from oven and serve warm, cutting into quarters with kitchen shears. (Focaccia can be baked ahead and reheated wrapped in foil at 300 degrees until hot, about 12 minutes.)