Spelt and Spice Holiday Stuffing
Ingredients:
PART 1: Creating the FOCACCIA
• 2 cups Hockley Valley Light Spelt Flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil + more for oiling the bowl and drizzling on top
• a sprig of rosemary
Instructions:
• Measure the flour and salt into a large metal mixing bowl, and stir well.
• Mix the yeast and warm water in a small bowl and let sit for about 8 – 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins puffing up and rising to the surface.
• Make a well in the flour. Pour the yeast and water into the center, along with the olive oil.
• Stir all together, and begin kneading with your hands when it starts to come together into a ball. Knead the ball of dough for about a minute, or until slightly sticky, soft, and smooth.
• Transfer to a large metal mixing bowl greased with olive oil.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
• Line a square 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper.
• Punch the risen dough in the center to deflate it, then transfer to the cake pan.
• Press it evenly into the pan.
• Let it rise for another 45 minutes, then make poke marks with your fingers all over the top.
• Drizzle olive oil on top and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
• Sprinkle on some rosemary leaves.
• Bake at 410F for 30 – 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
For the stuffing recipe, let the loaf go stale on the counter overnight.
PART 2: The Stuffing
Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 3/4 cups diced spanish onion
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 cup chopped celery
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground sage
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup liquid – chicken stock, cooked turkey drippings*, vegetable broth, white wine, or lager beer
• Stale spelt focaccia loaf cut or torn into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup peeled, cored, cubed apple
*only use turkey drippings if you are making this near the end of the turkey cooking process, and the drippings are golden brown. Do not use under-cooked, bloody turkey drippings.
Instructions:
• Add about 2 tbsp of olive oil to a saute pan and add the onion, garlic, celery, salt, pepper, and sage.
• Saute on medium low heat until everything is soft and translucent.
• Add the lemon juice and your choice of cooking liquid and stir it all together.
• Add the bread and apple chunks to an 8 inch square baking dish and mix them around so that they are evenly distributed.
• Pour the sauteed mixture over the bread and mix it up to ensure it’s all soaked up and evenly coated.
• Press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top, and season with more salt, pepper, and ground sage.
• Bake at 375F for 35 minutes, then broil for 2 – 3 minutes, or until toasty brown on top.
Makes: 6-8 Servings
Peanut free, nut free, dairy free, egg free, soy free.