beetroot focaccia with thyme, ricotta, blackberries and balsamic red onions

I love using beetroot in baking, whether its bread or a cake, it adds a great earthy flavour. I used it in this focaccia and added caramelised balsamic red onions, ricotta, thyme and blackberries. it was so nice eaten warm dipped in some extra virgin olive oil. the colour of the dough before its cooked its an amazing bright pink colour but once its baked it turns to more of a red colour. because of the colour of the dough its so fun to make with children.

as a child I lived on beetroot, I even insisted on having picked beetroot sandwiches in my packed lunch and by lunch time the beetroot had dyed the bread pink, I loved the colour pink so that may be why. my family think I’m weird as I would quite happily eat beetroot out of the jar.

recipe

150g cooked beetroot (2 small)
300g strong white flour
1 sachet 7g fast action yeast
5g salt
80 ml olive oil plus more for kneading
180 ml water
semolina for dusting
red onion
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
10 blackberries
4 sprigs of thyme
6 tbsp. ricotta

in a stand mixer add the flour, salt and yeast (on the opposite side of the bowl from the salt)

put the beetroots in a food processor with the water and puree then pour in to the bowl, add the oil and mix with the dough hook for 5 to 8 minutes until smooth, or oil serface and knead by hand,

oil and container and place the dough in it and cover with cling film, leave for 1 hour to double in size.

dust a lined baking tray with semolina and gently tip the dough out onto it and pull into a flat rectangle shape trying not to let too much air out.

let prove for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour (during this time cook the beet chips and onion see below), once proven using your fingertips poke holes in the dough the drizzle over some olive oil and some semolina and salt, then press in the blackberries and spread the onion on top and the thyme and the beet chips and crumble to ricotta chunks over the top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

for balsamic onions

add the butter, sugar in a pan with some strips of red onion and cook until the onions are soft then add the balsamic vinegar and caramelise.

for the beet chips slice 1 fresh uncooked beetroot thinly and spread out on a baking and cook in a low over 120c for 30 minutes. (they will crisp up more when cooked again on the bread).

serve dipped in olive oil

beetroot red onion ricotta and blackberry foccacia-1-7

5 Comments

Michele says

October 26, 2015 at 5:42 pm

Looks amazing. Never been a beet fan, maybe I need to rethink that – you always inspire me, Aimee!

btw for some reason i can’t use capital letters on my comment, so your name is in lowercase, odd huh?
- twiggstiudios says
  
  October 26, 2015 at 9:39 pm
  
  Thankyou Michele I’m glad you like it xxx
Rachel says

November 9, 2015 at 1:45 pm

This looks insane! beetroot always makes everything such a brilliant colour doesn’t it? I made a beetroot ketchup and debated eating it because the colour was too pleasing! x
- twiggstiudios says
  
  November 9, 2015 at 3:10 pm
  
  hi Rachel yes I love using beetroot it makes everything look amazing xxx