The focaccia with caramelized onions is a very soft leavened bread, perfect to serve either with an aperitif or as a main course, paired with a platter of cold cuts and cheeses, for example.
It’s very easy to prepare, and you don’t even need a stand mixer, as the dough can be mixed simply with a spoon or by hand. If you want, you can also prepare the dough the night before and let it rise all night; in that case, use only 1/4 teaspoon of yeast, which will be enough to get a soft and bubbly focaccia.
As you will read in the recipe, the dough will be quite soft and sticky, so don’t give in to the temptation to add more flour, because it’s fine as it is!
If, like me, you are a fan of leavened products, also try these recipes of mine:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 1 round pan of approx. 13.5 inches in diameter
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/3 cups water (warm)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb onions
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- 2 sprigs thyme
- as needed salt
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- as needed semolina (for the pan)
Steps
To prepare focaccia with caramelized onions, place the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour in a bowl along with the active dry yeast and sugar and mix. Pour in the warm water and start mixing with a spoon or with your hands. Add the salt and extra virgin olive oil and mix with the spoon or your hands until you get a homogeneous dough, rather soft and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour.
After the first hour of rest, with wet hands, fold the dough a few times without removing it from the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for another hour. Then fold the dough again, always with wet or oiled hands, so the dough won’t stick to your fingers. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for another hour.
After the third hour of rest, grease your pan with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle it with semolina. Transfer the dough into the pan and gently spread it by pressing with your fingertips from the center outwards, until the entire pan is covered with the dough. Let it rise covered for another hour. In the meantime, prepare the topping.
Peel the onions, cut them in half, and slice them thinly. Heat a skillet with 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the onions over high heat for a few minutes, stirring often. When they are well browned, season with salt, add the thyme, sprinkle with brown sugar, and let them caramelize, continuing to stir. Deglaze with balsamic vinegar, continue cooking for about a minute, then remove from heat. Let cool.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (static).
After the resting time, or once the dough has doubled in volume, top it with the caramelized onions, distributing them evenly over the entire surface. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle semolina along the edges.
Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until the focaccia is golden on the surface and also on the bottom.
Remove your focaccia with caramelized onions from the oven, garnish with a few sprigs of thyme, and serve it cut into slices or squares.
The focaccia with caramelized onions is excellent both hot and cold.
Tips
If you don’t have thyme, you can also flavor the onions with a sprig of rosemary.
If you want, you can replace the whole wheat flour with more all-purpose flour; in that case, you can decrease the amount of water by 10-20 grams.
