grilled gruyere cheese sandwich on garlic and herb focaccia bread

garlic and herb focaccia bread (recipe below)
gruyere cheese (shredded)

garlic and herb focaccia bread:
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. garlic chips (see below)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. fresh basil (finely chopped)
1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. fleur de sel

in a bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water and set aside to proof, about 10 mins.

start cooking your garlic chips. using about 4 cloves of garlic, finely slice them. in a medium sauce pan heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. when the oil is hot, add in the garlic. fry for about 5 mins. or until golden brown. remove from the heat and drain on paper towel.

in another bowl mix the flour, salt, garlic chips, oregano, thyme, basil, and black pepper together. pour the flour mixture onto a floured working surface. make a well in the middle of your flour pile and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil. start working all ingredients to together until you start working it into a large ball. pour about 2 tsp. of olive oil into a bowl and rest your dough in that bowl. cover with a damp cloth and let rest to rise. about 1 hour.

preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

in a 9"x13" non stick oven pan. coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil. after the dough has risen spread it into the 9'X13" pan. sprinkle the parmesan cheese, and the fleur de sel over the top of the dough.

bake in the oven for about 20 mins. then remove from oven and let rest for a couple mins.

grilled cheese:
cut the focaccia bread into 4"x4" squares. take 2 slices and turn them over, and top (on the bottom of the bread) with shredded gruyere cheese. place into the broiler on high for about 5 mins. or until cheese starts to melt. remove from the broiler, and place the two slices together to create a sandwich.

recipe makes 6 4"x4" squares (after crust is cut off)

enjoy :)

*it's also nice to eat with, or dip in, oven roasted tomato bisque soup.

justin