Rosemary Focaccia Bread Recipe

Adapted from The Taste of Home Baking Book

1 small to medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

1-1/2 cups warm water {110 - 115 degrees f, divided. I don't have a candy

thermometer, so I guesstimated...it shouldn't be scalding but it should be a bit warmer than luk

e warm}

3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour {explained in directions}

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary or 2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

and divided

1) In a skillet, saute onions in 1/4 cup oil until tender; cool. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 1/2 tsp sugar in 1/4 cup warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. {Tip: Yeast should appear foamy after letting stand for 5 min in the warm water. If not, the yeast should be discarded. Bread won't rise properly if the yeast is not activated.} Add 2 Tbsp oil, salt and remaining water. Add 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

2) Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Add onions and half of the rosemary; knead 1 minute longer. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.

3) Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Pat each portion flat. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Grease two baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Stretch each portion of dough into a 10-inch circle on prepared sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

4) Brush with remaining oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and remaining rosemary. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

Storage tip: Freshly baked bread does not have preservatives, so it will go bad quickly. To store, wrap chunks of bread {or the whole thing if you have a big enough freezer bag} in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil, then place in freezer bag. Double up on bags if possible.