Focaccia Hot Dogs
One thing that has brought me immense joy this year - making focaccia bread. A gateway to even more immense joy - baking hot dogs into focaccia bread. That’s right - little hand held focaccia-dogs that are everything to love about freshly baked focaccia + ballpark dogs in one dinner experience. And let me tell you what - it’s a leveled up at-home hot dog experience. All you need is 2 things to make these Focaccia Hot Dogs happen - a go-to focaccia recipe (which I’m thankful to have) and some grade-a dogs. For us, it’s Field Roasts finest, but any dog would be amazing. To take things up a notch, I love to add a ton of caramelized onions - nestling the buttery onions right on top of the focaccia dough before smashing a hot dog on top. The onions just bake into focaccia, and then it all kind of bakes around each hot dog so that they’re perfectly nestled in. The freshly baked focaccia is light, pillowy, and has that perfect bread consistency that’s just irresistible. I sprinkle with some fresh thyme + flaky sea salt on top of the dough before it goes in the oven, and my go-to is piling a crunchy kale-apple slaw right on top. It’s seriously so good + it’s such a fun twist on a Summer classic.
Anne Burrell Focaccia Forever
If there is one bread worth making on your own, it’s focaccia. And ever since I got my paws on Anne Burrell’s focaccia recipe, I’ve never gone back. I have made this bread so many times, and with a fair share of little “twists” and it has yet to fail me. It’s an easy recipe to follow, simple to whip up, and you can do it all in your electric mixer. Me personally, I like to get up early + whip up the dough while I sip my morning coffee. It’s a little ritual that I just kind of love - a leisurely, peaceful start to the day that I really cherish.
The classic is delish, and I love to go nuts + add some fun toppings into the mix. In this case, a boat load of caramelized onions. I mean what is a hot dog if it doesn’t have caramelized onions? Here, I press them right into the dough before pressing in a hot dog, and let that all sit in with the focaccia during the 2nd dough rise. Baked perfectly! The onions were fully caramlized before going on top of the bread + they didn’t get burned or overcooked in the oven. I think the buttery-ness of the onions lends itself very well to making sure you have a soft + light bread.
It’s easy to eat!
One word: handheld.
A focaccia hot is lowkey genius because you’re just making the perfect all in one vessel to enjoy the hot dog. Every bite is the perfect ratio of hot dog + bread, and you can easily pick it up off the plate + take a big ol’ bite. Now adding the slaw on top, which I feel is essential, is another situation. That’s where a little mess comes in, but it’s a hot dog and that’s the fun of it.
Full disclosure - I did cave an buy a hot dog bun baking tray on Amazon for like $9, and it was one of the best purchases I made this Summer. I love just allocating enough dough to fill the hot dog tray, and adding the remainder of the focaccia to a smaller baking dish so that I end up with a small number of focaccia dogs + a fresh loaf I can have on hand for breakfast sandwiches later in the week. For me, that’s an ideal situation for our household of 2 humans, but I’d totally use it all for hot dogs for a party or something.
If you aren’t putting crunchy slaw on your dog, you’re missing out
A warm, juicy hot dog with a pillowy bun, caramelized onions, a crunchy coleslaw that’s swimming in the mayonnaise (yup - the mayo is necessary), and a light drizzle of barbecue sauce on top. That is the premium hot-dog and it’s exactly what I curated for myself with these focaccia dogs.
If I’m being blunt, I think putting ketchup + mustard on fresh baked focaccia is a crime, and I don’t care what is baked into it. Hot dog or not - I’m just not doing it. But a little creamy slaw + a slight drizzle of barbecue sauce - those are condiments I can get down with with it comes to a focaccia dog. Perfect parts warm + dough and also fresh + creamy. The final product and a bite of all of that together is a dream.
I went for an apple + jalapeno slaw, and traded in cabbage for my garden kale. It was creamy, fresh, and added the perfect crunch you want in a Summer slaw.
Full disclosure - I did cave an buy a hot dog bun baking tray on Amazon for like $9, and it was one of the best purchases I made this Summer. I love just allocating enough dough to fill the hot dog tray, and adding the remainder of the focaccia to a smaller baking dish so that I end up with a small number of focaccia dogs + a fresh loaf I can have on hand for breakfast sandwiches later in the week. For me, that’s an ideal situation for our household of 2 humans, but I’d totally use it all for hot dogs for a party or something.
For the focaccia
1 3/4 c. warm water
1 package of yeast
1 tbsp water
5 c. flour
1 heaping tsp salt
3/4 c. EVOO
4-8 hot dog links
2 tbsp fresh thyme
For the caramelized onions
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Worcestershire
Salt + pepper
Flaky sea salt
For the slaw
2-3 c. kale, sliced
1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled + shredded
1 honeycrisp apple, cut into matchsticks
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 c. cilantro, minced
1/4 c. mayo
1/4 c. Dijon
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
salt + pepper
For the focaccia - Mix the water + sugar in a large bowl. Add in the yeast + let it sit for 15 minutes. Add the flour + salt to a stand mixer. Pour the yeast mixture + a half cup of EVOO to the stand mixer. Mix on medium speed with a dough hook for 6-7 minutes. The dough should be smooth + firm, and be able to be easily transferred out of the ball. Line another bowl with with a bit of EVOO + transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap + let sit at room temp for at least 2 hours. The dough should double in size.
For the caramalized onion - Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. When the butter is bubbling, add in the onions. Cook on medium for 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the Worcestershire, and a generous pinch of salt + pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook the onions for another for another 45 minutes. When you uncover the skillet, return the heat to medium to cook off the excess liquid. Cook only for another 7-8 minutes. Turn off the burner + let the onions cool.
For the slaw - Start making the dressing. Add the mayo, mustard, vinegar, maple syrup, and the salt + pepper to a large bowl. Whisk it all together. Add all of the veggies for the slaw to the bowl + toss with the dressing. Cover + set in the fridge for at least 1 hour minutes.
Now it’s time for the 2nd rise on the focaccia. Add a thin drizzle of EVOO to each divot in the hot dog pan. Pull aport the dough + press into each portion of the hot pan - filling each slot about one third full with dough. Place a spoonful of the cooled onions on top + then smash a hot dog link on top. Add the remaining dough to a small dish - add the remaining 1/4 cup of the EVOO to the baking dish + then add the remainder of the dough on top. Add the rest of the onion on top, and press down the dough + onions with your fingers to form the tradition focaccia divots. Sprinkle fresh thyme over both prepared pans. Cover the hot dog pan + other loaf pan, and let the dough rise for another hour. The dough should double in size.
Preheat the oven to 425. Add the hot dog tray + loaf pan to the oven - bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The focaccia should be golden brown a bit crisp on top.
To serve it up, place a dog on a plate + top with a generous heap of the prepared slaw. Add a little drizzle of olive oil, and you’re set.
