red onion bread

I kept eyeing that purple onion in the fruit basket, then finally threw my hands in the air and grabbed the Recipes from an Italian farmhouse my daughter had given me years ago, turning right to the butter splattered page for Red Onion Pizza, or fitascetta.

This is a delicious, easy, and fairly fast bread that is shaped into ropes, then coiled into a circle, then mounded with slowly sauteed red onions in butter and sprigs of fresh rosemary. It works beautifully for a soup or stew dinner, or simply as is. I made two small circles, rather than the one large one called for in the recipe - one for freezing, one for now. It could easily be made into party food, if you want to try making even smaller circles, or just slice the bread into managable pieces. It has a very fine, tender crumb.

To make:

1 envelope dry yeast ( 1/4 oz)

1/2 cup warm water

Mix the yeast into the water and let bubble and foam.

2 1/2 cups King Arthur flour

1 - 1 1/2 cups water

a little kosher salt

1 T. fresh rosemary, pulled off stems

Place the flour, salt and rosemary into mixer bowl.

Add the warm water and yeast and mix a little.

Add the water, beginning with 1 cup and adding more depending on humidity and flour you're using - it should form an elastic ball of dough - not too dry, not too wet.

Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Let rise to double - about an hour.

Next:

2 red onions, peeled and sliced thinly

2 T. unsalted butter

several sprigs of fresh rosemary

salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a skillet on medium, add the onions, and turn heat down.

Let onions saute for approximately 20 minutes, until soft and buttery.

Toss in the rosemary sprigs, and add salt and pepper. Set aside.

Take the risen dough and knead briefly. Cut into two equal pieces.

Roll the dough into ropes, then coil into circles.

Place on cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Carefully spoon the onions all over the dough.

Bake for 30 minutes and remove. If tops are not browned, set under a broiler to char the onions a little.

Let cool before cutting.

Enjoy!