Focaccia with Caramelized Onions & Red Peppers

I have made focaccia before.  I like this bread for its texture and because it is a little lighter than loaves of bread.  With that said, I am still learning to cook it just right.  I think this recipe creates a great texture for the dough.  It is airy has a good rise to it.

I think I baked this a little too long.  My oven is not calibrated so I have tried to cook things just a little less than planned.  In this case, I was cooking some other things at the same time, so I did not watch the bread in the oven as much as I needed to.  I think if I baked this 2 – 3 less, it would be perfect.  I will have to try again to let you know.  What have you found when you cook focaccia as far as timing the baking process correctly?

Recipe
Focaccia with Caramelized Onions & Red Peppers(inspired by Juanita’s Cocina):
Ingredients
1 tsp. honey
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour, divided
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1/2 of a Roasted Red Pepper
Olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

Dissolve the honey and yeast with 1/2 cup of the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. After yeast has bloomed for 10 minutes, add the remaining water and the 2 Tbs. of olive oil.

Add 2 3/4 cups of the flour and 1/2 tsp. salt to the yeast mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, begin to knead all of the ingredients together while the mixer is set to medium-low. While dough is mixing, gradually begin add additonal flour at a time, until the dough has come together, is no longer sticky, and has pulled away from the sides of the bowl.

Pour the dough from the bowl onto a well-floured surface. Knead by hand for 1-2 minutes, or just until the dough has made a well-formed ball.

Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, roll it in the olive oil so it is fully covered and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to sit until it has doubled in size (approximately 1 hour).

While dough is rising, heat a small skillet with a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and slowly caramelize until the onions are tender and light brown in color. Remove the onions from the skillet and cool until dough is ready.

See link to earlier post for Roasted Red Peppers.

Prepare a 9×13 baking pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Pat the dough into an even layer into the pan. Cover the entire pan with plastic wrap and again let it rise for 30 minutes.

Once dough has risen, use your fingers to make indentations over the top of the entire pan of dough, all of the way across. Cover the dough and let it rise once more, for 45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the caramelized onions and roasted red peppers in an even layer across the top of the dough. Sprinkle the other 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt across the top of the dough. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over all ingredients and the dough.  Put in the oven and bake until lightly browned.