Saffron Focaccia

Submitted by COOKGIRl

"Delirious, dazzling and delicious saffron! From 1000 Great Recipes."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 1 loaf

ingredients

• Bread

• 1 pinch saffron thread
• 2⁄3 cup boiling water
• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Topping

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1⁄2 medium red onion, cut into crescent shaped thin slices
• fresh rosemary sprig
• 12 imported black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

directions

1. Place the saffron threads in a heatproof container. Pour the boiling water over the strands and let infuse until lukewarm.
2. While the saffron is infusing, place the flour, salt, yeast and olive oil in a food processor. Turn machine on and gradually add the saffron and its soaking liquid. Process until the dough forms a ball.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead 10-15 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, approximately 30-40 minutes.
4. Punch down the dough and roll into an oval shape about 1/2" thick. (The shape does not have to be perfect.) Place the dough on a greased aluminum baking sheet and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using your fingertips, press indentations over the surface of the bread.
6. Brush lightly with olive oil, cover with the topping ingredients, and lightly drizzle a small amount olive oil on top.
7. Bake 25 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base.
8. Let cool on a wire rack.

Reviews

[Annacia]

I can't imagine why this hasn't been tried before, it's delicious. I used the bread machine to make up the dough and then it was simply adding the prepped toppings, easy peasy. My single, hopefully helpful, comment id to not made the onion slices too thin. If you do they will crisp and get very dark before the bread is ready. Some of mine were under 1/16 of an inch and suffered for it while the thicker portions were lovely. I will made this again and will not be able to read through sections of the onion next time,lol. Used Kalamata olives and they were grand, also added a small amount ot thyme leaves. It all came out yummy! :D. Made for NA/ME forums tag game.