Cheese-Filled Focaccia; Focaccia With Rosemary And Garlic

Copyright 1994 Orlando Sentinel
From Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information Services
Selected and Prepared by Tribune Media Services

Orlando Sentinel

CHEESE-FILLED FOCACCIA

2 (1-pound) loaves frozen bread dough, white or honey wheat, thawed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (6-ounce) package sliced Provolone cheese
1 (6-ounce) sliced Jarlsberg cheese
4 tablespoons fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

On a floured surface, roll 1 loaf of thawed frozen bread dough into a 15-by-10-inch
rectangle. If dough shrinks back after rolling, let the dough rest for a few minutes then
continue rolling to correct size.

Transfer dough to a greased 15-by-10-inch jellyroll pan. Press dough to fit into corners.
Brush dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cover with cheese.

Sprinkle with half of the basil. Top with oregano, marjoram, rosemary and garlic
powder.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out second thawed loaf of frozen bread dough into a
15-by-10-inch rectangle.

Place on top of cheese and herbs. Pinch edges of bottom crust of dough to top and seal.
Brush top of dough with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and let rise until puffy (30 to
60 minutes).

Heat oven to 375 F.

Before baking, make dimples in the dough with fingertips. Sprinkle dough with
Parmesan cheese and remaining basil. Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is
golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Immediately remove from pan to cool on wire rack. Slice and serve into either strips or
squares. Best served warm.

FOCACCIA
(Makes 8 servings)

3 cups buttermilk baking mix
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons olive oil 

Garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, poultry seasoning, Mrs. Dash, basil or other
herbs as desired

Blend baking mix with sage and other herbs as desired, then stir in milk until evenly
mixed. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; spread over bottom.

Turn dough into pan and pat out with floured fingers to make an even layer. Poke holes
in dough with fingertips at 1- to 2-inch intervals. Pour remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil
evenly over dough, then brush with fingers to coat entire surface. Sprinkle lightly with
garlic and other herbs as desired.

Bake in a 400 F oven for 25 minutes or until richly browned. Cut into rectangles and
serve hot or warm. (To recrisp cold foccacia, arrange in single layer in pan and bake at
350 F for 8 minutes.)

(Nutrition information per serving: calories, 361; sodium, 756 milligrams; fat, 20.1
grams; carbohydrate, 39.4 grams.)

From Sunset Magazine

FOCACCIA AL RAMERINO E AGLIO (Focaccia With Rosemary and Garlic)

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 ounce fresh compressed yeast or 1 package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups lukewarm or hot water, depending on the type of yeast used
Pinch salt

FOR THE DOUGH:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons lard or sweet butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped, divided used
8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Coarse-grained salt
2 medium-size cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper 

Place 2 cups of unbleached flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour.
Dissolve the yeast in water, then pour it into the well with the pinch of salt. Use a
wooden spoon to incorporate the flour, little by little, until it is all blended. Sprinkle 1
tablespoon of flour over mixture. Cover bowl with a cotton dish towel. Let the mixture
rest until the mixture (also called a sponge) has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

When the sponge is ready, spread out the 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour on a board. Place
the sponge on the floured surface. Add 4 tablespoons of lard or sweet butter, 2
tablespoons chopped rosemary, salt and black pepper. Kneading in a folding motion,
start incorporating the ingredients into the sponge until all the flour is incorporated and
the dough is elastic and smooth.

Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a piece large enough to fit on a jellyroll pan.
Grease the jellyroll pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place dough in the pan,
spreading it to reach the sides. Sprinkle coarse-grained salt over dough. Drizzle 4
tablespoons of olive oil over the surface.

Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary and garlic. With your fingers,
push the mixture into the dough at several points on the surface. Prick dough all over
with a fork, then cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place, away from drafts,
until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400 F.

When the dough is ready, bake for 25 minutes or until golden all over. Remove from
oven, slice and serve hot. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the surface
and sprinkle with freshly ground olive oil.

From Giuliano Bugialli's ``THE ART OF ITALIAN COOKING''