Appetizers

Cast Iron Cheddar and Jalapeno Focaccia

Difficulty:

Hard

Prep Time:

20 minutes

Total Time:

2 hours 45 minutes

We’ve given our focaccia recipe a twist by adding ooey gooey cheddar cheese and spicy jalapenos and baking it in a cast iron skillet!

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings 1x 2x 4x

1 (1/4 ounce) packet active dry yeast
2 cups warm water, roughly 100-110ºF*
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
1 (8 ounce) block sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
1/2 cup Sliced Hot Jalapeño Peppers drained
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, add the yeast and warm water, stir gently, and allow to sit until the yeast has bloomed and is frothy, about 5 minutes.
Add the salt and flour and mix with a rubber spatula until a shaggy, but smooth dough forms and no loose flour is left in the bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the bowl and turn the dough with the rubber spatula to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to proof on the counter for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Once proofed, transfer the dough to a cast iron skillet greased with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and with oiled hands, press out the dough to fill the pan. Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and allow to proof for 1 more hour.
During the last 30 minutes of proofing, preheat your oven to 425°F.
Press the cheese cubes into the bread, top with the Mezzetta® Sliced Hot Jalapeños and drizzle all over with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with the flakey sea salt.
Transfer the bread to the oven to bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving with warmed pasta sauce or extra virgin olive oil for dipping.
Enjoy!

Chef's Note

*To achieve the perfect water temperature for activating the yeast, combine ½ cup boiling water with 1 ½ cups cold water.