Caramelized Onion and Fennel Focaccia

Dough:

• 1 tablespoon fine sugar
• 1 ½ cups very hot water
• 1 package yeast
• 3 cups flour plus flour for kneading ( ½- 1 cup)
• Spray cooking oil

Topping:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large Vidalia onion thinly sliced
• 1 cup fennel thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon fennel seed
• ½ cup grated gruyere cheese
•  ½ teaspoon Grey sea salt to top bread

Directions to make dough:

In a bowl dissolve sugar in 1 ½ cup hot water, then add the yeast cover with a towel and set aside for 10 minutes. The mixture should start to foam. Add 3 cups of flour mix and turn dough onto floured surface. Put some flour on top of the dough and on your hands and knead for about 5 minutes. As you work the dough add enough flour to make the dough less tacky. After kneading, spray a bowl with cooking oil. Place dough into bowl. Spray the top of dough with more cooking oil spray. Cover the bowl with a moist dishtowel and place to the side to rise for 1 1/2hr. The dough should be double in size. Punch the dough down. Take a non stick rimmed cooking sheet 9” x 13”, spray lightly with cooking oil and spread dough out to the size of the pan. Cover with damp dishtowel and let rise again for 30 minutes.

Directions to make topping:

Take a sauté pan to medium flame add butter. To melted butter add the sliced onions and fennel, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper and cook until brown and caramelized stirring frequently not to burn, approximately 15 minutes. Add the fennel seed and let cool.

Directions to bake bread:

Preheat over to 425F , take the cooking sheet with dough and using finger tips press into the dough making dimples. Spread the onion fennel mixture over the top leaving 1 inch not covered around the perimeter of the pan. Next added the grated cheese and the grey sea salt. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or room temperature.