Gluten Free Rosemary and Asiago Focaccia

I am amazed at how good this Gluten Free Rosemary and Asiago Focaccia came out!  Garlic infused olive oil and shallots, as well as the Asiago Cheese and Rosemary help make this focaccia bread a treat for your taste buds.  It is so hard to believe it is gluten free.  The outer edges of the crust come out so crispy from the olive oil and yet soft just underneath...a perfect pairing.

Gluten Free Rosemary and Asiago Focaccia

Do you know how much I stay awake at night thinking of recipes?  I sometimes can't shake one that was on my mind when I go to sleep and every time I wake up at night, the idea is there...and then it's still there in the morning!  I'm a tortured food artist!  How I  was going to make the recipe for this Gluten Free Rosemary and Asiago Focaccia bread work has been troublin'  my little ole' mind for quite some time.  I can't believe I waited so long to actually try it.  Sometimes I'm so afraid a recipe won't work and that I'll waste my precious ingredients and time,  I put it off...I know that's not fair to you...sorry.  Well, I finally made this one and it worked...hurray!!  It's really not that hard...a little time consuming though since you have to wait for the dough to rise a bit...but I assure you, it's worth the wait.

I hope all my thinking, plotting and planning and finally biting the bullet and getting this recipe done will be rewarded by you making it and liking it too!  I just want to make you all happy.  Enjoy!

GLUTEN FREE ROSEMARY AND ASIAGO FOCACCIA
Recipe From:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110 F. to 115 F.)
1/2  cup tapioca flour
2 Tbsp. nonfat dry milk powder
2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 egg
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp. gluten free beer or cider (I used Angry Orchard) or cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
2/3 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp. cornmeal
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese

In a small saucepan, cook olive oil and garlic over low heat until garlic softens (about 15 minutes).  Watch closely so the garlic doesn't burn.  If it starts to turn brown remove it from the oil.  Once done, remove pan from heat and remove garlic cloves from oil.  Reserve olive oil.  Using the flat side of a knife, mash garlic into a paste.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer ( I used a stand mixer), add dissolved yeast mixture, tapioca flour, milk powder, xanthan gum, egg, Italian seasoning, beer or vinegar, 2 tablespoons of reserved garlic infused oil, salt, garlic paste and 2/3 cup brown rice flour.  Beat until smooth on low speed, and then beat for 1 minute on medium speed until a smooth, elastic dough forms.  Dough will be sticky.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Cover bowl with a light towel and let stand in a warm draft-free place for 1 hour, or until dough puffs up.  It won't double, but it will get puffy.

On a surface floured with gluten free flour, turn out dough and add more gluten free flour on top of dough.  Shape dough with your hands into a disk shape and roll into a 9-inch round.  Put 3 tablespoons of garlic infused oil in bottom of a 9-inch cake pan, and swirl to coat sides.  Sprinkle the 1 teaspoon of cornmeal on bottom of pan.  Place rolled out dough in pan.  Brush 2 teaspoons of garlic infused oil on top of dough and using your fingertips, make indentations at 1-inch intervals in the dough.  Let stand for 15 minutes.

Top dough with shallots and cheese and bake for 27 to 30 minutes in a 375 degrees F. oven until golden.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and remove and let cool on wire racks.

Sliced Gluten Free Rosemary and Asiago Focaccia