pulled pork sandwiches on homemade focaccia
There really isn’t an interesting story behind this creation. I bought two pork roasts at the store because they were on a BOGO sale one day. One was made into pulled pork sandwiches and chili ‘n cornbread pie. I froze the other for later use.
Pulled pork is the easiest thing to make when you have a slow cooker - it literally does all the work for you! I just threw the roast into the pot with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Slap Ya Mama cajun seasoning, and a little dried parsley. Garlic and onion powders are easier to use than their fresh counterparts, which require peeling and chopping. After cooking on low for eight to nine hours, the roast literally fell apart. YUM.
The focaccia recipe I used came from foodgawker. I’ve been meaning to try it for some time, but I was scared to mess it up somehow. Even through the whole process I doubted myself, but the focaccia turned out surprisingly well. It kind of tasted like french bread… I don’t know if that’s how it’s supposed to taste, but that’s alright with me.
If you’ve ever considered baking your own bread but were scared to try, I highly recommend trying this recipe. The original post shows how easily it can be made, with the author adding that, once you try it, you won’t be able to stop! I agree: already I’m planning my next sandwich creations… :)
Rosemary Focaccia
1 pkg (about 2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
salt
sea salt
warm water
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in ½ cup of water about the temperature of a hot jacuzzi. Let stand until foamy, about 5-10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix the flour and ½ tsp salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Gradually add water, a tablespoon at a time, until dough is moistened enough to pull together and form a ball. In the same bowl, knead dough for about one minute, until smooth.
Remove dough, and oil the same bowl with some olive oil. Put the ball of dough back into the bowl, turn to coat, and then cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about ½ hour.
Preheat oven to 245 degrees C or 470 F.
Punch down the dough and knead briefly. Press into an 8 x 12” baking pan (no need to grease it). Keep in mind that the focaccia won’t rise much, so don’t press it much thinner than you want the final product to be. Let it rise for 5 minutes or so until it is about the height you want.
Mix the rosemary with the olive oil and brush it over the top of the bread. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for about 10 minutes (it should sound hollow when you tap the top), or a little longer if you want it to be a bit crustier. Cut into squares and serve.
