Focaccia with Caramelized Onions and Thyme

Directions

I learned how to make this focaccia from a chef in Ghent, New York. A fantastic cook and lovely human, I met Mimi when I was invited to teach food styling at a photography workshop being held at the farm she owned with her husband, Richard. The night prior to the workshop, Mimi always prepared a family-style dinner for the group, and this was reason enough for me to make the annual trip. She’d roast one of their farm-raised Berkshire pigs, serve a stunning array of just-picked baby root vegetables and grilled heads of Little Gem lettuce drizzled with nothing more than lemon juice, and then present a locally sourced cheese plate along with squares of this fabulous focaccia topped with piney rosemary and flaky salt. The meal was only further enhanced by the view: acres of grassy open land and rolling hills, the air humming with insects and vibrating with evening birdsong—the way it does when spring is just starting to fade and summer is on the edge of wandering in.

All of it was lovely, but as an avid bread baker, this focaccia captivated me. Never sure how a cook will respond to a request for a recipe, I was hesitant, but Mimi generously did what the best cooks always do: She gave it to me without a second thought. And now I’m giving it to you. It takes a couple of days, but the time is almost all hands off and it’s worth the wait. If you’re a bread baker, I think you’ll be impressed by how easy it is to get such a perfect result with so little work, and if you don’t yet make bread, this is the place to start.

The second time I had Mimi’s version, she had swapped the rosemary for sweet onions. Either makes a wonderful snack for friends standing around the firepit, sitting beside the water with a glass of something in hand, or staring out over rolling hills on the cusp of a new season.

1. In a measuring cup, combine the yeast, sugar, and 1⁄2 cup of the warm water and stir to dissolve. Let it sit for 5 or 6 minutes, until it foams and is alive (there’s nothing more deflating than spending days on dough that doesn’t work due to dead yeast).

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, kosher salt, and the remaining 3 cups warm water. Once the yeast mixture has proven itself to be happy and alive, add it to the bowl and stir until fully combined.

3. Pour 4 tablespoons of the olive oil into a very large lidded tub (I use an 8-quart lidded plastic tub but any large container you can seal will work) and swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides. Transfer the dough to the container, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days (in a pinch 1 day is okay, but I find the extra day makes a difference in the springiness of the final bread).

4. After the first day, you should see bubbles appear in the dough. It won’t rise terribly high, but the bubbles mean it’s working. After the second day, generously oil an 18 by 13-inch baking sheet and transfer the dough onto the sheet tray. Using your fingers, press out the dough evenly to fill the pan. It might resist a bit and you don’t want to tear it, but keep pushing it until it’s about 1 inch thick all over. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it’s very puffy and about twice its size with evident bubbles. This usually takes about 11⁄2 hours in the summer but up to 21⁄2 hours when it’s colder. If it’s chilly, I often turn on the light in my oven for a few minutes, then put the dough in the oven to rise, making sure to turn off the light when it goes in so it doesn’t get too hot.

5. While the dough rises, heat about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a sprinkle of sea salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion just begins to color and stick to the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water to the onion and continue to cook over medium heat until it is nicely caramelized, wilted, and the liquid has evaporated; set aside to cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 450oF.

6. Once the dough is doubled in size, drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and, with oiled fingers, make indentations all over the dough until it’s well dimpled. Spread the caramelized onions evenly over the top of the dough, then garnish with the thyme and a generous sprinkle of flaky salt. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning the pan once, until the top is beautifully golden brown all over. Let cool and either serve warm for the masses or cut into segments and freeze for later by wrapping the pieces in plastic wrap and then storing in a large plastic bag for up to 3 months.