Focaccia con cipolle e rosmarino

Hello again! I'm afraid I have been neglecting my blog again! I have been so busy with school and preparing for my first overseas trip ever! I am going to Italy in less than a week which means I won't be able to blog for another 3-4 weeks after this. I am so excited though. I thought it was only fitting to share an Italian recipe with you before I go. This recipe is from a book called Mama's Italian Cookbook which my friend gave to me for my birthday. I love it Kelsey!
The recipe title translates to Flatbread with onion and rosemary. It was delicious!

You will need baker's flour, dried yeast, salt, fresh rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, 300ml lukewarm water, 1 red onion and coarse sea salt.

First measure 450g grams flour. Digital scales make measuring soooo much easier!




Place the flour into a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons dried yeast.

Add 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Add 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary and mix together. Make a well in the centre.

Mix 3 tablespoons oil with the water in a jug.

Pour into the well.

Gradually mix the liquid into the flour mixture with a round bladed knife.

Gather mixture together with your hands to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 mins until smooth and elastic.

Return to bowl and cover with a clean tea towel, then leave to rise in a warm place for 45-60 mins, or until doubled in size. This is the dough after about an hour.

Turn out and gently knead again for 1 minute or until smooth.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Oil a baking sheet (or pizza tray like I used) Gently roll out dough to a round about 30cm in diameter. Technically I didn't roll out my dough I just flattened it out to the edge of the tray (which was 30cm in diameter).

Cover with a clean tea towel again and leave to rise in a warm place for 20-30 mins. I left mine near the fire. This is the dough before rising.

Meanwhile, slice the onion into thin slices and separate into rings. You may not need all of the onion.

After the dough has risen, make holes in the top (about 5cm apart) with the end of a wooden spoon.

Spread the onion rings over the dough, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake for 20-25 mins in preheated oven.

Yum! Sprinkle with more fresh rosemary. Smells deeevine! I wish I had some now.

I took a big slice like a pizza. Enjoy!

Jelly Cakes

Jelly cakes are pieces of butter cake cut up into squares (or even just cupcakes) dipped into jelly and rolled in coconut. They are just like pink lamingtons!

Here's what you will need to make them:

• 125g butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 1/3 cup milk
• 85g packet of jelly crystals
• shredded coconut (oops, not pictured)
  
  
  

Place butter in a small bowl.

Add vanilla extract,

and sugar.

Beat until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time and beat until just combined.

Stir in the flour and milk until smooth.

Spread mixture into a greased and lined 23cm square cake pan.

Bake for about 25 minutes at 180 degrees C.

Stand for 5 minutes then turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the jelly crystals and 1 3/4 cups of boiling water in a medium heatproof jug
until the crystals dissolve.

Pour into a 19 x 29 cm slice pan and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until set to the consistency of unbeaten egg white.

Cut cake into squares. You might also want to cut the sides and top off the cake so the jelly can absorb into the cakes properly, and so the squares are even.

I didn't though, so my squares were all un- even :)

Dip the squares into the jelly.

Then dip each square into the coconut. You probably wont need as much coconut as pictured here, about 1 1/2 cups will do.

And here they are- pretty as a picture! You can use whatever jelly you like for these.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly: Food for Fit and Healthy Kids