My Green Mouth: Sunday Brunch (con't): Fig and Bacon Focaccia & Onion and Bell Pepper FocacciaRed

Last weekend, I had some fine dames over for a great Sunday brunch-meets-clothing swap. And for the occasion, I broke out the yeast and made some slow-rising vittles. It was a great way to cook, and while the dough rose, I had gaps of time during which I could clean and get ready.

Specifically, I made focaccia, two types:
* Fig and Bacon Focaccia (with some Manchego Cheese)
* Onion and Red Bell Pepper Focaccia (with some Parmesan Cheese)

Classy, Classic Focaccia & Variations
I doubled this classic focaccia recipe in order to make my two variations. It was easy to prepare the toppings while the dough rose.

Classic Focaccia (single batch, which I doubled):
based on a recipe from "How to Bake" by Nick Malgieri
1 and 1/3 c. warm tap water (about 110 degrees)
1 envelope active dry yeast
5-6 T. organic olive oil
3 and 1/4 c. organic whole wheat all-purpose flour
2 t. salt

1) Whisk the water, yeast, and 3 T. of the oil together in a bowl.
2) In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Once well mixed, add the yeast mixture and stir until the flour is evenly moistened (with a plastic spatula or wooden spoon).
3) Beat vigorously for 1 minute (by hand with your utensil, or with the bread paddle attachment to your mixer).
4) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, which will take about 1 hour.
5) Use your hands to spread 1 T. of the remaining oil onto a sheet pan. When the dough is fully risen, turn it out onto the oiled pan. Gently stretch the dough until it fills the sheet pan. NOTE: You may need to let the dough rest for a few moments before it is limber enough to stretch without ripping.
6) Put 1 T. of oil on the fully-stretched dough, and spread thoroughly over the dough with your hands, then cover in plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise again until it is doubled in size in the pan, which should take about 1 more hour.
7) Use your fingers to gently create dimples in the dough. Then, add the prepared toppings--See the recipes for the toppings below. (If you want to create plain focaccia, drizzle with 1 more T. of oil and season with sea salt/course salt and pepper.)
8) Bake in the middle rack in a 450-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until a lovely golden brown.
9) Serve immediately, or serve cold. Delicious either way!

Fig and Bacon Focaccia (with some Manchego Cheese)
7-9 fresh figs
3-4 thick-cut gooood bacon (I get Wellshire Farms)
Manchego cheese
sea salt
ground black pepper

1) While the focaccia dough is rising, cook the bacon until it is about 2/3 of the way cooked through. Dice into 1/8-inch pieces.
2) Thinly slice the figs.
3) Before putting the focaccia dough into the oven, evenly top with bacon and figs. (No need to add extra olive oil as when making a plain focaccia!) Add a little salt and a little ground pepper. Then, use a vegetable peeler to make thin peels of manchego to add to the top.
4) Bake following the directions for classic focaccia above.

Onion and Red Bell Pepper Focaccia (with some Parmesan Cheese)
1 large organic onion
1 large organic red bell pepper
1-2 T. butter
fresh rosemary (NOTE: Chop fine and add to the dough before the second rise)
Parmesan cheese
sea salt
ground black pepper

1) Thinly slice the onions and red bell peppers. (Use a mandoline if you have one!) Add the butter to a frying pan on medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and cook for a moment or two before adding the red bell peppers. Cook until the onions are translucent and the onions and red bell peppers are just starting to brown.
2) Before putting the focaccia dough into the oven, evenly top with the onions and bell peppers. Add a little salt and a little ground pepper. Then, use a vegetable peeler to make thin peels of Parmesan to add to the top.
3) Bake following the directions for classic focaccia above.

Meaner, Greener, Leaner!
* I added a little spelt flour for part of the flour, as usual. I can't remember how much exactly, which is why I didn't note it here, but it worked great.
* The recipe is intended to be used in a smaller baking dish, but I prefer the larger sheet pan. That means that the focaccia is a tad thinner, and creates (in my mind) a better balance of carbohydrates and toppings ... so my guests and I aren't just filling up on refined carbs.
* The shaved cheese is great! First of all, I think it is in keeping with the principle of simple dishes, simple food. Second of all, it allows for the flavor of cheese without inundating the dish in a layer of dairy-based cholesterol.
* The bacon I use is a bit expensive, but it's worth it! It's family owned, and it's free of preservatives, nitrates, nitrites, and antibiotics. I use only a little, and I use it rarely. Saves my budget, saves the Earth, saves my heart valves. But dicing it small, as in this recipe, means I get a nice taste of savory bacon every couple bites, which is perfectamundo!

Here are more pictures from the process.

Here are a couple pictures of the focaccia with toppings before going into the oven.