This caramelised onion focaccia is light and airy with all the sweetness of the onions and the earthiness of the rosemary. A good sprinkling of salt flakes tops it off perfectly. Get the recipe below.

BAKING BREAD

One of the great pleasures in life is baking bread. From the therapeutic kneading to the science of watching it double in size and air bubbles appear.

Baking bread is and always will be an essential skill. Not all breads behave the same and focaccia is a little bit different to your usual white loaf.

HOW TO BAKE FOCACCIA

If you’re used to baking strong white loaves then you’ll be surprised by how different it is to make this Italian bread.

To make focaccia you add a high proportion of water and olive oil to flour and yeast. This creates a really wet, sticky dough that can be hard to handle. Cover your bowl with olive oil and leave it to prove for at least an hour and a half. In this time it will double inside and you’ll see lots of air bubbles on the surface.

Line a baking tray with either oil, semolina or baking paper (see FAQs below) and then tip the dough out. Dip your fingers in oil then spread the dough out into a rectangle. Press dimples into the surface of the dough and leave to prove for another half hour. In this time you can make the toppings (see below).

Once you’ve added the toppings its time to bake in a hot oven for 25 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE THE CARAMELISED ONION TOPPING

My favourite thing about this focaccia is not the light bouncy bread (although that is a close second) it is the caramelised onions.

The bread is earthy when topped with fresh rosemary and sea salt; the caramelised onions then give it a much sweeter flavour that balances really well.

Making them is easy. You need lots of olive oil and patience. Simply fry them on a medium to low heat while the bread is proving for the second time. They are ready when they are sticky and sweet.

But, don’t let them get too dark as they will continue to cook in the oven. If they are too brown when they go onto the bread then they will burn around the edges.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS FOCACCIA?

Focaccia is a type of Italian flat bread (though it is made with yeast). It can be topped with rosemary and salt as well as a range of other toppings like tomatoes and olives.

IS FOCACCIA VEGAN?

Yes! There are no dairy products in a traditional focaccia recipe so it’s suitable for anyone following a plant based diet.

WHY IS MY DOUGH SO WET?

Your dough is wet due to the high ration of liquid to flour. Don’t worry, this is exactly how it should be! After the first prove you will almost tip / pour the dough onto your baking tray.

Don’t be tempted to add more flour as this will ruin the texture of the final bread.

CAN I MAKE THIS IN A BREAD MACHINE?

I’ve never tried making this in a bread machine but if you want to avoid getting your hands dirty then you can bring the dough together using the dough hooks on an electric mixer. This is my preferred way of kneading the dough as it is really quick and doesn’t get your hands covered in sticky dough.

HOW DO I GET DIMPLES IN MY FOCACCIA?

Your focaccia dough will be nice and puffy. Simply dip your fingers in olive oil then press them into the dough all the way down to the bottom. Given them a wiggle to expand the dimples. Repeat all over the dough.

CAN I CARAMELISE ONIONS IN MY SLOW COOKER?

If you’re looking for an easier way to caramelise your onions while your bread is proving then consider using your slow cooker. They will take a couple of hours which is perfect as that’s how long your bread will take to prove!

HOW CAN I STOP MY FOCACCIA STICKING TO THE PAN?

When you’ve spent so long nurturing your dough and frying your onions, the last thing you want is for the bread to stick to your pan. You have three options to stop your focaccia sticking:

1. Oil the tray liberally – it should be covered in oil, too much oil is better than not enough.
2. Cover the baking tray with semolina – semolina will create a barrier between the dough and the pan and add a bit of extra crunch to the base of the bread
3. Line your baking tray with baking paper – this is the most full-proof method. Once the bread is baked it will simply peel off of the base.

THE RECIPE

Now you’ve learnt all the tips and tricks to making focaccia let’s bake your caramelised onion focaccia.

• PREP TIME: 5 mins
• COOK TIME: 25 mins
• PROVING TIME: 3 hrs
• TOTAL TIME: 3 hrs 30 mins
• COURSE: Side Dish, Snack
• CUISINE: Italian
• SERVINGS: 12 pieces
• CALORIES: 236.25 kcal

EQUIPMENT

• 1 large baking tray

INGREDIENTS 

• 500 g strong white bread flour
• 10 g salt
• 10 g instant yeast
• 100 ml olive oil for the dough
• 350 ml water warm
• 1 large onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil for the onions
• 1 tbsp rosemary leaves
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• olive oil for your hands

INSTRUCTIONS 

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast.
• Add the olive oil and warm water.
• Bring together until you have a wet sticky dough ball.
• Knead briefly with oiled hands until it is smooth.
• Brush with olive oil and leave in an oiled bowl with a damp tea towel over the top.
• Leave to prove for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
• Line your baking tray with baking paper then tip out the dough on top.
• Oil your hands again and stretch it out into a large rectangle covering the baking tray.
• Press dimples into the dough at random intervals.
• Brush again with olive oil and cover.
• Let it prove for another hour.
• While the dough is proving slowly fry your onion slices in a pan on a low heat until just sticky.
• Pre-heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F / gas mark 7.
• Oil your hands and press down into the dimples again to make sure they are defined.
• Sprinkle over the rosemary and salt flakes along with the onions.
• Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 25 – 20 minutes until golden on top.
• Transfer to a cooling wrack but it’s best enjoyed while still warm!

NUTRITION

• Calories: 236.25kcal
• Carbohydrates: 31.84g
• Protein: 5.47g
• Fat: 9.57g
• Saturated Fat: 1.34g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.23g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 6.51g
• Sodium: 326.46mg
• Potassium: 69.62mg
• Fiber: 1.51g
• Sugar: 0.66g
• Vitamin A: 6.3IU
• Vitamin C: 1.03mg
• Calcium: 12.67mg
• Iron: 0.52mg