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Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Focaccia with Apricot Jam, Caramelized Onions, and Fennel

November  4, 2014

Hear ye, hear ye: Longtime Food52er MrsWheelbarrow has come out with a beautiful new cookbook! All week long, Cathy will be sharing recipes from Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry and giving us new ways to use up the preserves in our cupboards. And we're giving away a copy each day -- so you can finally get over your fear of preserving.

Today: A sweet and savory focaccia that's suited for any time and any place. 

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This focaccia can be a first course, a cheese course, a teatime snack, or a brunch food. In other words, it's fabulous at any time. Not-too-sweet preserves dancing with savory flavors: one of my favorite performances.

More: 12 more yeasted breads to conquer. 

This dough is my go-to for pizza and almost any flatbread-type recipe. It’s quite wet, which means that it's soft and full of bubbles when baked. The bubbles get larger, and the tangy-sour flavor deepens with a longer, cooler rise. 

Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Focaccia with Apricot Jam, Caramelized Onions, and Fennel

Makes one 14- by 10-inch focaccia

For the dough:

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the bowl
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons kosher salt

For the topping:

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half-moons
2 cups sliced fennel
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces apricot jam
4 ounces aged, crumbly goat cheese (but fresh is fine, too)
Crunchy sea salt

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photo by Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton

Every day this week, we're giving away a copy of Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry! To win today's copy, tell us in the comments: How do you top your focaccia and flatbreads? We'll choose winners this Friday, November 7th. (U.S. entrants only, please!) 

Update: Nogagapamelaleelittleknitterlizzaljoelle, and Matteo Cavelier are our winners! We hope you enjoy your copies of Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Jessica Schunke
    Jessica Schunke
  • EmFraiche
    EmFraiche
  • creamtea
    creamtea
  • annamaria bjorkquist
    annamaria bjorkquist
  • bching
    bching
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26 Comments

Jessica S. November 6, 2014
We often revert to salami and mozzarella, but shaved asparagus and goat cheese is fantastic.
 
EmFraiche November 5, 2014
carmelized onions and goat cheese
 
creamtea November 5, 2014
1) https://food52.com/recipes/15521-glazed-shallot-walnut-sage-and-goat-cheese-pizza
2) https://food52.com/recipes/21156-pizza-with-greens-feta-and-pine-nuts
3)https://food52.com/recipes/23304-roasted-tomato-roasted-garlic-toasts
 
annamaria B. November 5, 2014
Olive oil, truffle salt, pepper, chili pepper flakes, arugula, pancetta or prosciutto thinly sliced mushrooms and Parmesan!
Delicious, serves as an appetizer, snack, lunch or dinner
AnnaMaria B.
 
bching November 5, 2014
Blue cheese, caramelized onions, chestnut honey
 
Lisa R. November 5, 2014
Homemade feta cheese, garden ripe tomatoes and basil from the garden drizzled with herb infused olive oil.
 
Fairmount_market November 5, 2014
pesto and pears
 
Stephanie L. November 4, 2014
fresh rosemary, caramelized onions, dates, goat cheese! Sometimes lemon zest, sometimes walnuts. always tasty
 
Bevi November 4, 2014
Pancetta, caramelized onions, mild soft cheese and slightly roasted apple slices.
 
pamelalee November 4, 2014
Garlic, shallot, rosemary, and red grapes!
 
AntoniaJames November 4, 2014
My sister Sally's shallot marmalade topped with bits of Humboldt Fog is another option. ;o)
 
boulangere November 4, 2014
One of my recent favorite combinations is caramelized shallots, pears, bleu cheese (Bleu d'Auvergne), and pine nuts.
 
pandapotamus November 4, 2014
oil oil, mushrooms, and cheese!
 
Laurie R. November 4, 2014
Like this recipe, I enjoy sweet, salty and savory all together. I would top with crispy pork belly, blood-orange marmalade and calabrian chiles. The thick crust can handle the rich, fattiness of the pork belly and the chiles add that little bit of kick.
 
fiveandspice November 4, 2014
This looks amazing! I can't wait to try it. I usually go for thinly sliced lemons and green olives on focaccia or else winter squash and cheese (parm or chèvre or feta), but I can just imagine how good this is and that it could well become the new favorite.
 
lapadia November 4, 2014
Garlic infused olive oil and a smoky balsamic BBQ sauce spread over the dough and then topped with a variety of mixed chopped olives, capers, grilled artichoke hearts and mozzarella.
 
inpatskitchen November 4, 2014
Olives, onions and anchovies!
 
sarabclever November 4, 2014
Something with olives. But I don't make flatbreads nearly enough!
 
littleknitter November 4, 2014
Rosemary, cherry tomatoes, and asiago cheese!
 
hardlikearmour November 4, 2014
Not too-salty tapenade.