Thanksgiving is the holiday that I typically host, and I go ALL out. Typically, I spend three days prepping and you can expect multiple types of pie, turnip souffle, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, turkey roulade, cornbread stuffing and some sort of salad but this year is a bit different.

One of my sisters is moving away for a year and since Christmas is her favourite holiday and she will be missing it we are doing a hybrid Christmas/Thanksgiving at my parents. The tree is up, there is a teeny gift exchange, Christmas cookies and I GUARANTEE Mariah Carey will be on when we walk in the door. All that to say I wanted to make something for the holiday and this Thanksgiving Stuffing Focaccia hits the spot. It’s super savoury, packed with hearty herbs that really sing in the fall and topped with a heap of lightly caramelized onions.

A Note on Caramelizing Onions

Here’s the thing pals, there is no quick way to caramelize onions. They live by the Guinness slogan “Good things come to those who wait.” Low and slow cooking brings out those sugars and allows them to brown evenly. I know that the onions here are just shy of true caramelization. If you want to get them a bit darker you can continue to cook them for up to an hour but watch out for burning in the oven.

Focaccia is one of my favourite breads to make because it is perfect for so many toppings and flavour combinations, it comes together quickly, and you can bake it in any oven without needing steam! This one has a sneaky punch of flavour with the chicken bouillon cube taking the place of salt. This simple swap adds depth to the flavour that really screams holiday dinner when combined with fresh and hearty herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley and sage.

Focacccia Tip

Lightly oiling your hands before dimpling the dough will help to prevent this super sticky dough from sticking to your fingers and bursting the air bubbles.

Equipment

Kitchen Scale
Measuring Spoons
Pot or Kettle
Thermometer
Stand Mixer
9"x13" Pan
8" Frying Pan
Rubber Spatula
Chefs Knife
Cutting Board

Ingredients

480 g Bread Flour
430 g Water
1 pc Chicken Bouillon Cube
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1.5 t Instant Yeast
1/2 cup Mixed Fresh Hearty Herbs (Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Parsley)
2 Sweet Onions
Flaky Salt

Instructions

Using a small pot or kettle heat the water to a simmer before mixing with the bouillon cube until it has completely disolved then set aside and allow to cool to 100F-110F.
Finely chop the herbs until you have 1/2 cup then set aside. Don't worry too much about how much of each you have, as long as there is a bit of variety that's perfect!
This is a great opportunity to use up what's hanging around your fridge or garden.
Add the bread flour, yeast and cooled bouillon to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Using the hook attachment mix on low until no loose flour remains.
Increase the speed to medium-high and knead until the dough is smooth, clings to the hook and clears the side of the bowl. This will take around 15 minutes but it's more important to pay attention to the look of the dough than the time.
Reduce the speed of the mixer to low then add half of your chopped herbs and mix until combined.
Transfer the dough to a bowl with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil and use your fingers to spread the oil to the surface, cover the bowl and allow to double in size, this will take about an hour.
Meanwhile, thinly slice your onions and add them to a medium-sized pan over medium heat with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt.
Cook the onions stirring occasionally for 25-35 minutes until soft and amber in colour.
If you notice the onions are sticking to the pan lower the heat to medium-low as the goal is a slow and even cook. If some bits are sticking to the bottom of the pan you can add a splash of water to lift them up and reincorporate the flavour into the onions.
When the onions are finished cooking remove them from the heat, stir in the remaining chopped herbs and transfer to the fridge once cool.
Once the dough has doubled in size coat a 9×13 pan with 2 Tbsp of olive oil and gently transfer the dough to the pan.
Carefully stretch the dough to reach the corners the best you can without overly deflating the dough. It's okay if it doesn't fully fill the pan, the dough will spread and grow during the second rise.
Cover and allow to double in size again.
While the focaccia is in its final rise preheat the oven to 450F.
Once it has doubled drizzle the final 2 Tbsp of olive oil onto the surface and use your fingers to dimple the dough gently then place the caramelized onion and herb mixture onto the surface and sprinkle with flaky salt.
Bake on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes until the bread is golden, pulls away from the edges of the pan and is at least 200F when checked with a thermometer.
Enjoy!