Batter-style onion focaccia with no kneading: blend 100 g of Parmesan to crumbs, mix with 250 g of flour, 350 ml of water, rosemary, salt and pepper, fold in four ice-bathed chopped onions, spread on a baking sheet, dust with corn flour and bake 30 minutes at 180 °C. Golden, crispy and the whole house smells like an Italian bakery. Serves 6.
Instructions
- 1
Chop the onions and give them an ice-water bath — it mellows their bite.
- 2
Blend the Parmesan cubes to a fine, crumbly texture and transfer to a mixing bowl.
- 3
Add the flour, salt, rosemary, black pepper and water; mix thoroughly — it will be a loose batter, not a dough.
- 4
Drain the onions, add them to the batter and stir until well combined.
- 5
Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet and finish with a light dusting of corn flour for extra crunch.
- 6
Bake at 180 °C until golden and crispy; slice and serve warm.
30:00
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why soak the onions in ice water?
The cold bath pulls out the harsh sulfur compounds that make raw onion sharp, so four whole onions bake into something sweet and mellow instead of overpowering the bread. Don’t skip it — drain them well before they go into the batter.
My mixture is liquid — did I add too much water?
No — 350 ml of water to 250 g of flour is intentional. This focaccia is a spreadable batter, not a kneadable dough; the Parmesan and the thin layer are what set it into a crisp, golden sheet in the oven.
What does the corn flour on top do?
It toasts dry in the oven and gives the surface a sandy, extra-crisp finish that plain wheat flour can’t — the same trick pizzerias use on the peel. A light, even dusting is enough.