Lemon, Rosemary, and Sea Salt Focaccia (Tiddly Pom)

Today it's sunny with a high of 72°F and a 20% chance (I'm a meteorologist now, look at that!) of a single cloud floating across the horizon. It's lovely. Yet... I can't help but feel a little empty inside. I miss winter.

When I was home in Maryland over Christmas it flurried. Once. I hurriedly rushed outside to capture this mythical and magical white stuff (Tucson legend has it that this is called "snow") falling from the sky with my camera. I was only wearing a t-shirt, but I didn't care. This moment was special, and becoming increasingly rare in my new life. Being away from something, someone, someplace can make us see just how beautiful the seemingly ordinary can be, and how we shouldn't take it for granted.

 I also couldn't help but think of A.A. Milne's poem from The House at Pooh Corner:

(Tiddly Pom)

The more it goes

(Tiddly Pom)

The more it goes

(Tiddly Pom)

On snowing.

And nobody knows

(Tiddly Pom)

How cold my toes

(Tiddly Pom)

How cold my toes

(Tiddly Pom)

Are growing.

The more it snows

(Tiddly Pom)

The more it goes

(Tiddly Pom)

The more it goes

(Tiddly Pom)

On snowing.

And nobody knows

(Tiddly Pom)

How cold my toes

(Tiddly Pom)

How cold my toes 

(Tiddly Pom)

Are growing.

We're not so unlike these flakes of snow: no two exactly alike; each our own shape and size, each our own unique journey from above -- Each step sounds a Tiddly Pom, each heart beats a Tiddly Pom.

This rustic, lemony, salty focaccia is perfect for a winter's day, even a pretend one. Fresh rosemary and good olive oil counter the burst of tart, citrus flavor, pleasing all of the tastes. I have a huge rosemary bush in my front yard, so every time I see a recipe with rosemary my eyes light up.

 I made some focaccia with tomatoes, too, since my roommate can't eat lemons. So, feel free to use the bread recipe as your base and flavor to your preference. I made these in four mini cheesecake pans as they were the perfect individual serving size, but you could also use two 8-inch cake pans for a larger focaccia.

Lemon, Rosemary, and Sea Salt Focaccia
adapted from Canal House Cooking, Volume No. 3: Winter & Spring

yields two 8-inch rounds or multiple mini rounds

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for prepping pans and drizzling
1 3/4 cups break flour, plus more for kneading
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 lemon
2 branches fresh rosemary, removed from stem and lightly chopped
freshly ground pepper

Directions:
For the dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a medium bowl. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoons of the olive oil.

Pulse the flour and 1 teaspoon salt together in the bowl of a food processor. Add the yeast mixture and process until a rough ball of dough forms, 1 minute. Briefly knead dough on a floured surface until smooth. Shape dough into a ball. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil into a large bowl. Roll dough around in bowl until coated with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Pour a thin film of oil into each of four 8-inch round cake pans. Divide the dough and put one piece into each pan. Using your fingertips, spread dough out in each pan. The dough is elastic and will resist stretching. Let it relax for 5 minutes or so after you've stretched it as far as it will go. Eventually, it will cooperate and fill the pan.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Cover the pans with damp dishcloths and let the dough rest until it has swollen in the pans a bit, 30-60 minutes.

Uncover the pans. Sprinkle the dough with the rosemary. Using your fingertips, poke dimples into the dough in each pan, then liberally drizzle with oil so it pools in the hollows. Arrange just the thinnest rounds of lemon on top, drizzle with more oil, and sprinkle with remaining sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake the focaccia until golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Drizzle with more oil when you pull the focaccia from the oven. Serve cut into wedges.

Enjoy.
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