Everything Bagel Focaccia Bar (Pizza Night!)

Chewy focaccia seasoned like an everything bagel, topped with your favorite bagel toppings

There are foods that I like to splurge and treat myself to now and again.  One of them is a good everything bagel, toasted under the broiler then spread with cream cheese, topped with lox, red onion, capers, and--if they are in season in my garden/the farm share--a slice of tomato.  Like Albert in the book Bread and Jam for Frances (Amazon affiliate link) I set my meal up just so, and it makes me happy.

The first time I tried to recreate my treat on a pizza, one year ago's Potato Smoked Salmon Red Onion and Caper Pizza, the pizza, while tasty, missed the mark of what I wanted to capture.  When I first made a focaccia I realized what I'd wanted was the chewiness of the crust, and made a mental note to find Everything Bagel seasoning and try it out.

Fast forward to summer.  While at the beach at a spice store steps away from the boardwalk (I'd think that wasn't a great location, but they got my business) I found it.  As I drove back to Ohio I had my daughter take notes of all the recipe ideas in my head.  The first one I tried was Everything Bagel Focaccia.  It was good--but still needed some tweaking.

First try--too thick, and not "everything" enough.

Third time was the charm for me (and for you!), and I present you with a focaccia flavored like an everything bagel yet not so messy (I hate all the crunchy bits that fall off, though they are tasty scooped up and secured with cream cheese), safe to eat if your parents have invested much money in your mouth and don't want you to screw up your braces, and the perfect set up for a late brunch bar with assorted toppings.

For my birthday I'd like to share a Friday Night Pizza Night version of one of my favorite foods. Enjoy!

Third time is a charm.

Everything Bagel Focaccia

NOTE: This recipe is not gluten free as written, because I used bread flour. To adapt this recipe for a gluten free diet please substitute the gluten free flour blend of your choice, or make your own--here are some options:
http://glutenfreedoctor.com/gluten-free-flour-mix-white/
http://glutenfreedoctor.com/gluten-free-flour-mix-whole-grain/
Check labels to confirm that your other ingredients are also gluten free. Good sources for determining gluten free products can be found here:
http://knowgluten.me/2012/03/31/other-names-for-gluten/
http://glutenfreedoctor.com/gluten-free/
http://www.celiac.com/categories/Safe-Gluten%252dFree-Food-List-%7B47%7D-Unsafe-Foods-%26amp%3B-Ingredients/

for the dough

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

⅔ cup (160 ml) warm water

2 cups (8 ½ ounces) bread flour

1 Tablespoon plus a couple of healthy pinches everything bagel seasoning, divided

several grinds of pepper

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 clove roasted garlic (here's how I roast mine), smushed

a couple of healthy pinches kosher salt

Please refer to my Pizza Primer post for general tips on making pizza doughs at home.  In a large bowl (I used my stand mixer) mix all ingredients on low with a paddle until a ball of dough forms, scrape off the paddle then mix another couple of minutes on low until the ball is smooth.  I don't use my kneading hook for this, but you can if you like.  Let the dough rise for an hour in a warm place.  Press into a 12 cast iron skillet (using a 10 inch makes a thicker focaccia and we preferred the thinner one).  Let rise again for 30 minutes, meanwhile preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Dimple the dough with your fingers (for focaccia-specific tips please see my first focaccia post), spread with bits of roasted garlic, sprinkle a couple of healthy pinches each of everything bagel seasoning and kosher salt.

For me, a couple of healthy pinches means that I take my thumb and 2 fingers and dip into my salt dish or the seasoning bag, and grab what I can in my fingers then scatter it across the surface.  And repeat until the surface is covered to my liking.

 Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then cool on a rack. Slice (affiliate link to my favorite slicer) and serve.

To make a Focaccia Bar, set out the pan of sliced focaccia with the toppings you prefer on your everything bagel.  We like various combinations of the following:
whipped cream cheese
chopped red onion
sliced ripe tomatoes (only in season, otherwise what's the point, flavor-wise?)
capers
smoked salmon

What's your favorite birthday treat?  What's your favorite bagel topping?  What do you think of the orthodontist adding bagels to the Naughty Foods list?

This post is linked on the From the Farm Blog Hop, Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Tasty Tuesdays, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Food on Friday