Salami and Mozzarella Stuffed Foccacia Bread

This outrageously delicious focaccia is stuffed with salami, mozzarella, Parmesan, caramelized onions, peppers and seasoned with thyme and garlic. It’s great with a dinner salad, soup or a plate of pasta and it makes a tasty appetizer served hot or cold.

To serve it as a main dish I would double or event triple the filling.  It would be great with dunking sauce on the side like tomato, or pesto. The focaccia is crusty on the outside but still tender with a soft and fluffy inside. It takes on a gorgeous color and is really hard to resist!

Salami Foccacia
(adapted from Tyler Florence)

2 teaspoons rapid-rising dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Rosemary
Cornmeal, for dusting

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, proof the yeast by combining it with the warm water and sugar. Stir gently to dissolve. Let stand 3 minutes until foam appears. Turn mixer on low and slowly add the flour to the bowl. Dissolve salt in 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the mixture. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and fold over itself a few times. Form the dough into a round and place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat the entire ball with oil so it doesn’t form a skin. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise over a gas pilot light on the stove top or other warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Coat a pizza pan with a little olive oil and corn meal. Once the dough is doubled and domed, turn it out onto the counter.

This is where Tyler’s part in this recipe ends and mine begins.

Divide the dough in half, stretch or roll out each half to fit your pan. Place one of the circles on the pan and leave the other on the counter. Let rest fifteen minutes.
While your dough is rising prepare your filling.

Filling:
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 green pepper, sliced in thin 2-3 inch long strips
2 large onions, sliced thin in rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
¾ pound sliced hard salami, cut into bite size pieces
1 teaspoon thyme
A pinch of Red Pepper Flakes(or more!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet add the olive oil, butter, peppers and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Saute on low-medium heat about 20 minutes until onions are a light brown, caramel color. Add the minced garlic and sauté on low until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.

When the onion and pepper mixture has cooled add the cheeses, salami, thyme, red pepper and season with salt and fresh pepper. Mix together and spread evenly across the prepared dough. Cover with the top circle and fold the edges together pincing as you go and rolling over. Brush the top with olive oil, sprinkle with a bit of additional rosemary, thyme and coarse salt. Cut an x in the center of the top of the focaccie.

Bake on 400 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges. Serve hot or cold.

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