How to Cook Eggplant Rosemary Focaccia Bread
Turned out to be quite good…a little tough on the edges…but what a yummy combination of flavors!
Get your ingredients ready.
Thinly slice the eggplant.
Sprinkle with salt to draw out bitter juices. Then rinse and pat dry.
Chop the rosemary and crush the garlic.
You’ll use the garlic to rub the dough bowl, then chop it up for the dough.
Caramelize the onions with olive oil and sugar.
How to Prepare Foccacia Bread Dough
Mix the dry ingreidents.
Activate the yeast.
Stream in the olive oil.
Mix in the activated yeast and water.
Kneed with dough hook or wooden spoon and elbow grease.
Rub the garlic on the inside of the bowl. Place olive oil in base of bowl.
Place the dough ball into the bowl. Cover and let rise.
Once risen, fold in the chopped rosemary.
Chop the garlic and mix that into the dough as well.
Pull the dough and knead and stretch it out.
Do not not not not roll out the dough with a rolling pin.
Prick the dough.
With anything you have that would work.
Don’t have a gadget, use your fingertips!
Place the sliced eggplant and caramelized onions on top.
Brush olive oil on top.
Bake.
Enjoy!
Eggplant Rosemary Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup warm water not hot water
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 5 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup more water streamed into dough
- 1/2 small white onion sliced into circles
- 1 tsp olive oil for onions
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 eggplant thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 garlic clove
- salt for sprinkling
- olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Dough
- Place the warm water in a bowl and stir in the yeast. A tablespoon of yeast from the jar, if you don't do the packets. Let sit while you get the flour going and get out the other ingredients, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Place the flour and salt into a stand mixer or bowl where you will make the dough.
- Toss the flour and salt together, then stream in the olive oil.
- Pour in the yeast and water and let the dough hook works its magic. Stream in some more warm water (I did about 3/4 cups), until dough ball forms. Let knead for about 10 minutes.
- Don't have a stand mixer and dough hook. Use a wooden spoon and then knead the dough yourself...and get a nice forearm workout in the process. Dough ball will form...keep kneading until smooth.
- Meanwhile, wash the rosemary and the eggplant. Pat dry.
- Thinly slice the eggplant. Then place into a strainer.
- Sprinkle the eggplant pieces with salt and set in the kitchen sink. The salt will draw out the bitter eggplant juices and they can drain into the sink.
- While the eggplant is draining and the dough is kneading, slice the onions. Caramelize them.
- Place the olive oil and sugar into a small skillet. Let the oil and sugar heat up, then toss in the onion slices. Cook on high until they look like this...then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Once cooked, chop up the caramelized onions and set aside.
- Chop the rosemary leaves, peel the garlic and mash it with side of knife. Rub the garlic along the inside of the bowls that will hold your dough, as it rises. Add a little olive oil to the bowl to prevent sticking. Then mince the garlic to add to the dough after it rises.
- Add smooth dough. Cover and let rise about an hour.
- Once risen, add the chopped rosemary and minced garlic to the risen dough. Work the spices into the dough and then begins kneading the dough and stretching it out. Let gravity help you stretch the dough out. Do NOT ROLL OUT focaccia dough. I repeat. Do NOT ROLL OUT focaccia dough!
- Pull and knead the dough and place on a greased baking sheet.
- Dimple option #1. Use your fingers to dig holds in the bread. Dimple option #2. Use a pasta server to dig holes into the dough. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes to an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 as the dough is rising again.
- Once risen again...add the sliced eggplants, the chopped caramelized onions, some kosher salt and some drizzles of olive oil.
- Brush the olive oil around.
- Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from oven, slice with pizza cutter. And devour!
Kira says
That looks yummy! But I’m confused – twice in the instructions, you say to knead the dough, but in one step you’re adamant that we DON’T knead the dough. I’ve never made foccacia before, so help!
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
@Kira,
Should read “roll out”…I edited. Thanks! 🙂
Tricia (Once A Month Mom) says
So cute! Look at those toes, I love baby toes!
And the eggplant focaccia was very yummy.
Karen says
@Tricia (Once A Month Mom),
want it! but don’t have the appropriate tools. probably better than any pizza out there- I bet the boboli crust would be working wonders! 🙂
Sarah says
That focaccia looks delicious! Thanks for all the beautiful photos. They have convinced me that I MUST make this.
And those babies are too cute!
Wendy says
I made pesto focaccia over the weekend . . .will have to give this flavor profile a try. I think I’m addicted!
susan says
i love the pics of Tyler & Theresa. I have a few friends that have children i’ve already “married’ my kids to. I can’t wait to see my youngest grow with my friends son. they’re both 3 months old (a week apart in age to the minute). I’m sure at some point i’ll notice the same “shinanigans” between my marielle & james.
Sarah (Frontier Kitchen) says
This is such a great idea! I love caramelized onions so I’m going to have to try this soon.
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
I seriously want to crawl into the computer and start eating! It looks SO GOOD! Thanks!
ATL Cook says
Egg plant is $1lb at Publix and I have enough rosemary for an army. I love caramelized onions. As hot as it is, won’t take long for dough to rise. I shop Kroger and Publix on Wednesday for the extra 5% Senior Citizens discount. It all helps.
Chef Dennis says
your focaccia looks incredible!~
thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Cheers
Dennis
Heather says
This recipe was crazy good! I think I’ll cut back on the yeast a bit next time–I did the tbsp. out of the jar. It rose to epic proportions! But it was delish. Thanks for the recipe. 🙂