Foccacia has been popular for years now, and it’s easy to make the dough in the automatic bread machine. However, that takes a bit of time, and often when it’s dinnertime, we find we need good bread to go with our weeknight dish. Five Minute Foccacia is the answer. This bread can be put together, ready to bake, in five minutes, and comes out warm, flavorful, and crisp. It can be served with salads, soups, and main dishes, especially Italian dishes. Toppings on this delicious accompaniment can vary according to what is on hand. The favorite at the Hancock house is thinly sliced onions topped (as all toppings are) with Parmesan cheese. Chopped or sliced garlic and herbs are a good combination, as well as halved cherry tomatoes and pesto. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is an absolute must to be sprinkled over the toppings.

This bread starts out with a refrigerated pizza crust, pressed onto a shallow pan slathered with olive oil; indentations made by your fingers are traditional, and then olive oil and toppings finish the assembly. The olive oil may seem like too much, but it is the key to a crisp crust and traditional flavor of the Foccacia. This is not a time to try to cut down on calories. Both Jus-Roll (my personal favorite) and Pillsbury make perfect pizza crust dough that is already rolled out and can be pressed easily into the pan. I prefer to bake mine in a 1/4 sheet pan because it has short sides, but a 9” x 13” pan will also do.

8 Servings

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
   1. Spread 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the bottom of a 1/4 sheet pan.
   2. Place the pizza dough over the olive oil and with your fingers spread it out evenly.
   3. Press your fingers into the crust, making small indentations.
   4. Mix the sliced onions with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil; spread the mixture over the crust.
   5. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over all.
   6. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Cut into eight squares and enjoy.
   
   Amount Per Serving
   Calories 232 Calories from Fat 112
   Percent Total Calories From: Fat 48% Protein 13% Carb. 39%
   
   Nutrient Amount Per Serving
   Total Fat 12 g
   Saturated Fat 4 g
   Cholesterol 7 mg
   Sodium 549 mg
   Total Carbohydrate 22 g
   Dietary Fiber 1 g Sugars 0 g
   Protein 8 g
   
   Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 1% Calcium 0% Iron 15%