Alright here's yet another that starts with me not liking one of the ingredients. I despise olives. I hate the slimy texture and I hate the briny taste.
But, I have a good reason for this hatred of the little brined fruits (or are they a vegetable?). When I was in second grade, we had a Tu B'Shvat seder in Sunday school, where we were given all of the seven species to try. I am going to preface this story with the observation that green olives and green grapes look very similar to a second grader and should probably not be put on the same plate.
I ate the green olive thinking it was a grape and well, the rest is history. I have not eaten an olive since. That being said, because they are one of the seven species we eat on Tu B'Shvat, I used them to top this foccacia along with za'atar caramelized onions! I hope you enjoy!
Dough
1 Cup warm water
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Teaspoons salt
3 Cups flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
Topping
½ Cup Kalamata olives, sliced in half
1 Medium yellow onion
¼ Cup za'atar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (you can also mix and knead by hand), place the water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes until a foam starts to form on the surface.
With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour, olive oil, and salt. Knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Place in a warm spot and allow the dough to rise for an hour or until doubled in size. I usually preheat my oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit then turn it off and allow the dough to rise in there.
While the dough is rising, Make the topping by thinly slicing the onion into rings. Place into a sauce pot over low heat with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the za'atar. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes, or until very soft.
Once the dough has doubled in size, stretch out to a 9inch circle and place in a well oiled cast iron skillet. Arrange the olives and cooked onions to resemble a tree on top of the dough. Allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
Once the second rise is complete, use your fingers to poke the dough. Sprinkle olive oil over the entire thing and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy straight out of the oven with some butter!
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