Onion Focaccia
Onion focaccia is a classic Italian flatbread with a golden crust, airy crumb and sweet onion topping. The Thermomix TM7 kneads the strong bread flour dough to silky elasticity and warms the milk mixture precisely, giving consistent results. Ideal as a side, snack or aperitif bread, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and flaked sea salt.
About this recipe
Onion focaccia with the Thermomix TM7 brings authentic Italian bakery flavour straight into your own kitchen. This much-searched recipe relies on strong bread flour, warm milk, instant yeast and a rich topping of onions finished with extra virgin olive oil and flaky sea salt. The TM7 all-in-one kitchen machine makes the trickiest steps foolproof: the liquid mixture is warmed gently to activate the dried yeast, after which the dough is kneaded to that characteristic elastic, slightly sticky consistency that gives focaccia its famous open, airy crumb. The onions are sliced quickly and uniformly, so they caramelise evenly across the surface while the bread bakes. Serve this focaccia warm as a snack, with a bowl of soup for a quick weeknight dinner, or as part of an antipasti spread when friends come over. Once you have baked it once, this homemade bread will become a permanent fixture in your weekly menu.
Preparation tips
- Let the kneaded dough prove in a lightly oiled bowl away from draughts until visibly puffed. For extra flavour, dimple the proved dough deeply with your fingertips and let it rest briefly before adding the sliced onions.
- Slice the onions as evenly as possible so they soften uniformly while the focaccia bakes. A mandoline gives paper-thin rings; alternatively, pulse them briefly in the TM7 bowl with due care for a consistent result.
- For a dairy-free version of this bread, simply replace the milk with the same quantity of lukewarm water. Children enjoy helping to dimple the dough and scatter the onions and sea salt over the top.
- Leftover focaccia keeps well wrapped in a tea towel for a day and revives beautifully when briefly warmed; it also splits easily for sandwiches.
Recipe variations
- Lactose-free variation: replace the milk with an equal amount of oat or soy drink and follow the recipe unchanged. The crumb stays soft and the onion topping with extra virgin olive oil delivers plenty of flavour.
- Festive rosemary and onion variation: add fresh rosemary needles and halved black olives between the onions before baking, and finish with Maldon sea salt for an elegant aperitif bread.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Warming the milk and water in the mixing bowl gives the instant yeast the ideal start for a lively focaccia dough
- The TM7 kneads the strong bread flour into a smooth elastic dough without sticky hands or manual effort
- Chopping the onions evenly in seconds means uniform rings that caramelise gently across the focaccia top
- Weighing the bread flour, sea salt and sugar directly in the bowl guarantees consistent dough hydration every bake
- Mixing yeast, sugar and liquids evenly dissolves the instant yeast completely so the focaccia rises reliably
Ingredients
- milk
- dried instant yeast
- sugar
- olive oil
- water
- strong white bread flour
- fine sea salt
- extra virgin olive oil
- water
- fine sea salt