Stella's Focaccia with bonus recipe Stella's Buttermilk Chicken with Rucola Spread)

Stella's Focaccia with bonus recipe Stella's Buttermilk Chicken with Rucola Spread)

Serves 6-8

Focaccia ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds all purpose flour
1 packet or 1 1/2 teaspoon of instant dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 ounces of warm water (between 100-110 degrees)
Olive oil (about 1/4 cup)
Corn meal (optional if not using a non-stick pan)

Stella's Table Salts (as a finishing salt - pick your favorite flavor and sprinkle to finish)

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast and salt until combined. You can either do this by hand our using the whisk attachment on your mixer.

Pour the water over the dry ingredients until it forms into a sticky ball. You can either do this using your hands or attaching the dough hook on your mixer.

Once the ball is formed, transfer to a well oiled bowl, using a scraper to get dough off the walls of mixing bowl if necessary. Shape the dough into a ball once in the oiled bowl. Turn the dough over and get all sides with the oil.

Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes, either in a proofing drawer or in a warm place.

Prepare your pan (13" x 9") by adding 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and brushing it to cover the pan, including the sides. If you aren't using a nonstick pan, sprinkle corn meal on the bottom to prevent sticking.

Once your dough has proofed for 30 minutes, put into the pan oily side up. Using your fingers, spread the dough to the edges and corners of the pan. Cover and let rise another 30 minutes.

Once proofed, take the dough out and using your fingers press down to make indentations throughout the dough to prevent bubbles forming. Using a brush, spread a little olive oil on top and sprinkle salt on top.

Bake at 375-degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Once out of the oven, sprinkle with more olive oil and the salt of your choosing.

 

Stella's Buttermilk Chicken with Rucola Spread

Ingredients:

4 large chicken breasts 
2 cups buttermilk 
2 tablespoons Lemon Garlic Sea Salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2.5 ounces arugula
3/4 cup olive oil
4 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon Smoked Spice Sea Salt
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Mix the buttermilk, pepper, Lemon Garlic Sea Salt, and paprika together using a whisk. 

Slice chicken breasts in half width-wise so you have two thin breasts. Tenderize the chicken with a tenderizer.

Place chicken in gallon ziplock bag and pour the wet mixture over the chicken. Close and let sit for at least 1-2 hours or over night.

Place chicken on a baking sheet with a cooling rack inside. Drain each piece before putting on baking sheet. 

Bake at 350-degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160 degrees.

For the arugula spread, blend all of the ingredients together in a food processor and it’s ready

To assemble the sandwich, slice the focaccia in half width-wise so you have a top and a bottom.

Spread both sides liberally with the Rucola spread.

Place the chicken onto the bread (Add tomatoes or lettuce if desired).

Put the top on and cut into sandwich sizes.