Last weekends bread baking

     I've only tried 2 Focaccia recipes so far, but this one is the best of the two. I often find myself changing or adding ingredients to a recipe and with this one it was no exception. I didn't have any unbleached flour so I used bread flour. I replaced the olive oil with canola oil and the sea salt with Coarse Kosher Salt. These too, were done because I didn't have the called for ingredients.
Adapting...a wonderful word. Thinking that the focaccia would be completely covered in onion if I used the entire small onion I only used about a quarter of my yellow onion. When I was looking for the rosemary in the spice cabinet I found some sesame seeds so I threw some of them on the top before baking. I think that you could add almost anything to the top of this bread. I considered it would make a fine thick crust pizza dough or perhaps something sweet like sugar and cinnamon with a touch of butter. Either way you make it I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I served it with Creamy Rice, Chicken and Spinach Dinner (recipe to follow).
This recipe is adapted from The Italian Kitchen by Gabriella Mariotti, 1998.

Rosemary and Sea Salt Focaccia

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. lukewarm water
1 packette of Rapid Rise Yeast
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Rosemary leaves
1 small red onion (any color will do), halved and sliced thin
1 tsp. coarse sea salt

Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the water and 2 Tbsp. oil. Mix well. Add more water if dry.
Knead for 10 minutes. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap or a towel.
Punch down dough. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes. The dough will be bubbly with gas. You are kneading some of that out.
Roll the dough into a circle and place on a baking sheet. Place the onion, rosemary leaves and salt on top of the focaccia; pressing them in lightly. Using your fingers make deep indentions in the dough.
Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap or a towel.
Remove plastic wrap or towel and bake in a 425 degree F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden.

     While the focaccia was rising I decided to make another bread. I needed some bread for lunch the following week. Looking through my recipes I found this one for Finnish Bread. I had all the ingredients on hand so...

Finnish Bread
Printed in Country magazine Feb/Mar 1996
Recipe by Arthur Luama, Red Lodge, Montana. He says, "This recipe was brought over from Finland by pioneers who settled the area. We make this bread for a local festival that features foods from different countries.
Makes 2 loaves

1 pkg. active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 c. butter, melted, divided
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add whole wheat flour, 2 Tbsp of butter, brown sugar, salt and 2 cups of flour; beat till smooth. Add enough flour to form a soft dough.
2. Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place till doubled, about 1 hour.

3. Punch down dough. Shape into two 6-inch rounds; place on a greased baking sheet. Cut slashes in top with a knife. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.

4. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with remaining butter.

     This bread went together well. I did have one period where I had to stop and tend to the Focaccia I was also making. I had to leave the mixture from Step 1 (yeast, water, whole wheat flour, butter, brown sugar, and salt) sitting for about 10 mins. I thought it was like making a "sponge" so I didn't worry. The rises went well and both loaves baked just fine. I did want a larger higher loaf and I probley would have achieved that if I hadn't made two loaves per the recipe.