Romano's Macaroni Grill Focaccia

Dee514's Note:

This is a "copycat" recipe which I've posted in answer to a message board request. I found this recipe at CDKitchen.com

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 50 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 9 tablespoons olive oil (divided use)
• 3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup unsifted semolina flour
• ½ teaspoon salt (divided)
• 1 ½ tablespoons fast-rising active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cups hot milk (between 120 and 130 degrees)
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaf

Directions:

1. Pour a scant tablespoon of the olive oil into a 9"-square cake pan; spread evenly to cover bottom and sides.
2. Place all-purpose flour, semolina flour, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and all of the yeast in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.
3. (The mixing can be done by hand as well.) Blend ingredients on medium speed.
4. Reduce speed to low and slowly add hot milk.
5. Raise the speed to medium and continue mixing for 5 minutes (knead about 8 to 10 minutes by hand).
6. Sprinkle bottom of cake pan with a little flour.
7. Remove dough from bowl and spread out evenly in pan.
8. Cover pan with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
10. Remove towel, and brush dough with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
11. Sprinkle top with additional salt and, rosemary.
12. Bake for 20 minutes.
13. Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining oil.

Reviews

[Ridgely]

It's hard making a copy cat recipe because you want the taste to be exactly the same. It did taste good, but it was not the same as the restaurants. This recipe had a cakey almost crumby interior while the real one has more of a stretchy interior. The recipe was easy to prepare, but I will make it again and free form the dough out on a stone and see if that makes a difference.

[blakesle]

I have used this recipe numerous times and it is very good. simple...quick and very tasty. I think it is the semolina flour and the olive oil which give it such a nice taste and texture. Of course you caan always add on to the toppings but I rearly do. Best warm from the oven or close to. A bread to be enjoyed with a mediteranean meal Catherine

[amandamm]

I Love this bread. When I make this bread people tell me that it is even better than Macaroni Grill's bread!!! Although I do would not bake it in the square pan like the recipe suggests. I did that on my first try and thought that it was okay...But the second time it was better. I divide the dough in half and rise it on a Pampered Chef pizza stone. I rise and bake the bread for the same amount of time/temperature as the recipe calls for. I also increase the salt to 1 tsp in the dough and brush beaten egg on the top of the bread instead of olive oil (it makes the top of the bread shiny and have a wonderful crust). Then I top it with rosemary, sea salt (I use a sea salt grinder that also has garlic and other seasonings in it... Morton and McCormick both make this) and sometimes some shredded Parmesan cheese. I make this a LOT!!!