Rosemary-pear focaccia

Instructions

• Julienne 4 cups (1L) of onions. Sauté in 1 teaspoon olive oil until golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in rosemary and pears. Divide mixture in half and set aside.

• Measure out 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over top and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Then, stir until smooth. In a bowl, stir 3 cups flour with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt. Make a well in centre. Stir in yeast mixture, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough is too stiff to stir. Form a ball.

• Sprinkle flour on counter. Place dough on top and flatten slightly. Top with half of pear mixture. Knead dough, working in pear mixture, from 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour under dough ball. Cover with greased waxed paper and a damp cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

• Arrange racks on lowest level and in centre of oven. Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Grease an 11x17-inch (27x42-cm) jelly-roll pan or baking sheet. Punch down dough and place on greased pan and pat out evenly. Press remaining pear mixture into dough. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Loosely cover with greased waxed paper and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

• Bake on bottom rack until golden, from 45 to 50 minutes. Lift one corner to check crust. It should make a hollow sound when tapped. If bottom is too pale, slide bread off pan and onto centre rack for 3 to 5 minutes.