Focaccia with Red Onion and Kalamata Olives

Why I Love This Recipe

This is my favorite focaccia recipe, it is extremely versatile. I use Gold Medal Bread Flour (Sometimes called harvest King) because it is a "strong" flour meaning it is mostly hard wheat containing a higher gluten content, thus creating the harder european style crust and a soft but chewing interior. You may also replace 2 cups of the "Bread" flour with 2 cups of Spelt (The original wheat before hybridization) although the texture of the bread will be a little different, and the crust will be softer. If you are a Kamut fan, well, due to the low/no gluten content you can only replace 1 cup of the "Bread" flour. I have not tried experimenting with Barley and Oat flour with this recipe as to me, it would no longer be focaccia at that point. This will make makes either 8 small or 4 large. I tend towards the smaller size since its a little more manageable in a sandwich situation.

Ingredients You'll Need

6 cups of Bread Flour (Gold Medal Harsvet King - Bread flour, or equivelant, I think that a couple of flour companies even call it Artisan Flour to make it sound more Shee shee Poo poo)
1 tsp Kosher Salt
2 Packages Active Dry Yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/4 cups lukewarm water
2 cups Pitted Kalamata Olives (Cut in Half either lengthwise or across, whichever blows your hair back)
To Top:
3 Red Onions, Sliced in half and then into wedges like you would an apple)
Olive oil for drizzling (About 1/4 cup)
2 TB Thyme leaves
2 tsp Pink Himalayan salt (Or Grey Sea Salt or Hawaiian Black Lava Salt or Red Coral Salt or Alder Smoked Salt, etc. -- Really any of the fancy salts available, whichever you like since it is for "Finishing")

Questions, Comments & Reviews