onion apple focaccia

onions and apples may not sound like the most obvious combination, but they make a perfect topping for this whole wheat bread recipe. they go together nicely as the onions caramelize and the apples sweeten as they bake. both sweet and savory, the toppings give this onion apple focaccia recipe a rich flavor.

start off with a full tablespoon of active dry yeast. because this recipe is no-knead and has a quick rise, the extra yeast will help give it more volume. proof the yeast in 1/4 cup of the warm water and a pinch of sugar for 10 minutes.

while the yeast proofs, add 2 tbsp of olive oil into the bottom of a 9 x 13" pan. make sure to grease the sides well and let the rest evenly pool at the bottom of the pan. it may seem like a lot, but you will be grateful later when your bread releases from the pan and has a golden crust.

measure out your flours. i used a mix of both traditional red whole wheat and white whole wheat flours to avoid a heavy bread. i weighed them out for the most accurate measurement.

once the yeast is foamy, add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl. mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

the dough will be very sticky at this point, resist the urge to add extra flour because this could make the bread dense. add the dough to the oiled pan, and spread it out to the corners, oiling your hands if the dough is too sticky.

once the dough is in the pan, you will let it rise and puff up for about 45 minutes - 1 hour.

next up, prep the toppings. cut the onions into even sized strips by cutting off the top and bottom of the onion, cutting it in half, and then into strips.

heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan, then add your onion strips.

cook the onions on medium low heat until they start to turn golden brown, about 12 minutes. a minute before you take them off the heat, add in 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar.

while the onions cool, slice the apple as thinly as you can, about 1/8" is ideal.

once the dough has puffed up in the pan, use your fingers to make indentations all over the bread.

drizzle olive oil over the top and spread it as evenly as you can.

layer the apples first, then the onions on the top.

bake for 35-45 minutes. the apples will be cooked and the bread will have a golden brown crust.

to prevent the bread from becoming soggy, remove it from the baking pan and let it cool on a rack.

keep any extra wrapped in plastic or tupperware for 2 days.

makes 12 - 3"x3" pieces of focaccia
based on : no-fuss focaccia and onion focaccia

no-knead whole wheat focaccia with yellow onions and apples


dough ingredients:
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 pinch sugar
6 oz whole wheat flour (1.5 cups)
8.75 oz white whole wheat or all-purpose flour (2 cups)
1.25 tsp salt
1.5 cups warm water, divided (about 110 degrees F)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp olive oil for pan

topping ingredients:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 small yellow onions, sliced
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small sweet apple (like golden delicious), sliced thinly (1/8 inch)
extra olive oil for drizzling

directions:

1.   combine 1 tbsp active dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with 1/4 cup of the warm water and 1 pinch of sugar. let proof for about 10 minutes.

2.   once the yeast looks foamy, add the remaining ingredients and water to the bowl. mix with an electric mixer for 1 minute until it forms a sticky dough.

3.   pour 2 tbsp olive oil into a 9x13" pan. coat the sides and bottom of the pan. press the dough evenly into the pan and press it all the way to the corners. let sit, covered, in a warm place for 45 minutes-1 hour.

4.   while the bread rises, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. add the onion to the pan and saute until it starts to turn golden brown, about 12 minutes. during the last minute of cooking, add 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar and stir.

5.   when the bread is puffy, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. use fingertips to create indentations across the bread. drizzle olive oil evenly over the top surface.

6.   layer the sliced apple and caramelized onions over the bread and bake for 35-45 minutes. the bottom should be golden brown, and the apples will be cooked.

7.   let cool on a wire rack, and cut once bread is cool.


tips:

- you should be able to sub instant yeast for the active dry yeast in the recipe. just skip the proofing step.

- if you are unsure of the temperature of the water, you can use an instant read thermometer to make sure the water is around 110 degrees F.

- i used a round cookie cutter to cut the core out of my apple slices