Anyone out there like Iron Chef Bobby Flay? I knew there would be a few. I myself enjoy his show Throwdown. If you haven’t seen the show educate yourself. This is where I got this Italian meatballs and marinara recipe.

This recipe is best described as fresh, especially the sauce. The tomatoes, onions, garlic and fresh basil in the sauce make for an unencumbered flavor. Just straight goodness. The meatballs are wonderful too. They go hand in hand.

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Mama Maronis Meatballs

Throwdown with Bobby Flay

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 4oz. dried bread crumbs (I use the Italian style – adds a little more flavor)
• 4 large eggs
• 4oz. whole milk
• 6oz. grated Romano Cheese
• 3oz. grated Spanish onion (I use a yellow onion – don’t really know what the difference is.)
• 2oz. finely diced fresh garlic
• 2oz. finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 2oz. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 tsp kosher salt (my addition)

Directions

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
2. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in large bowl. If mixture seems a little loose add more bread crumbs.
3. Roll meatballs loosely about the size of a golf ball and place on baking sheet. Place into preheated oven for approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Enjoy!

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Mama Maroni’s Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

• 6oz. good olive oil not extra-virgin
• 12 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1 large or 2 medium Spanish onions, finely diced
• 2 (28-ounce) cans imported crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp. white or black pepper, freshly cracked
• 1 large handful julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add oil.
2. Once heated add the finely sliced garlic and onions to the pan. Cook over medium heat until soft and slightly brown.
3. Next add the canned crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and add the julienned basil.

Serve over noodles with meatballs.

Maybe its not really a famous focaccia sandwich, but I am going to make it that way. This is the sandwich dreams are made of. I remember when my wife and I were dating when she would visit me at the pizza place where I worked: High Desert Pizza in Ivins Utah. She would come and I would treat her to this tasty focaccia sandwich. We both fell in love at first bite. It took me a little while to remember all the toppings but ultimately I did. I must say thank heavens for that.

Now you have to start off with the Focaccia Bread from this post. Some very tasty bread. We like it fresh out of the oven, but 1-2 day old is fine as well. This is a hot sandwich so it doesn’t matter.

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High Desert Pizza’s Focaccia Sandwich

From High Desert Pizza

• 1 loaf Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Sauce (this is the oh so tasty key, I just slather it on)

• 1 part mayonaise (start with 1/3 C.)
• 1 part Sun Dried Tomato Vinagrette salad dressing (start with 1/3 C.)

Meat Side

• Pepperoni Slices
• Your favorite deli shaved Ham (we like Boars head Parmesan and Pesto Ham)
• Your favorite deli shaved Turkey

Veggie Side

• 1/2 Onion sliced into slivers
• Sliced Black Olives
• 1 tomato sliced
• Sliced Provalone Cheese

Directions

1. Cut the focaccia loaf into 4 peices (I make my focaccia round) and slice it so you have nice sandwich slices. We use our bread right out of the oven, but day old bread can be toasted on both sides under the broiler for a minute or less a side depending on how much you like yours toasted. You want them a little crunch and warm.
2. Mix mayo and salad dressing together until it turns to a nice light orange mixture. Slather that onto all the slices of focaccia you are going to use.
3. Meat side – you can do this two ways depending on how you like your pepperoni. First way: line the bottom slice with pepperoni on top of the tasty sauce. Then pile on the ham and then the turkey, two or three slices of each should be good. We are going to put this in the oven and want everything to be warm throughout so not too much. Second Way: Pile on the ham then the turkey then the pepperoni, this way the pepperoni gets a little crispy on the edges. Either of these ways are good.
4. Veggie side – Pile on the onions. Add some olives onto those. Put 1-2 tomato slices on top of that. Then add a slice of the Povalone on top of all that.
5. Put the slices on a cookie sheet or a broiler pan top. Now depending on how you like your sandwich put it under the broiler until the cheese is melted and everything is warm. Or turn the oven to 400 and cook it for about 4-5 minutes or more.
6. Take it out, put it together and ENJOY! You won’t regret it. Well maybe your thighs will but it’s worth it!

I was looking for a good focaccia bread recipe to go with my High Desert Pizza Focaccia Sandwich, but never found what i was looking for. That is until I found this recipe. I am pretty particular when it comes to recipes and the focaccia bread recipes I found in the past just didn’t sit well with me for one reason or another. I even tried one from Michael Chiarello from the Food Network and to tell you the truth it wasn’t good at all.

Oh by the way I went and bought a rosemary bush for $4.50 at Lowes. Way cheaper than the package you would buy at the grocery store and its pretty much a never ending supply. I wouldn’t omit the rosemary if I were you.

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Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Adapted and slightly modified from stephencooks.com

Ingredients

• 5 C. Flour (I use bread flour for everything but all purpose is good)
• 4 t. Active dry yeast
• 2 t. Sugar
• 2 t. Salt (I use Kosher)
• 4 T. Fresh rosemary, chopped (leave some coarsely chopped for the top)
• 1/2 C. Olive oil + more for baking
• 1 3/4 C. Warm water (about 105 – 110º)
• Plenty of coarse salt (I use the coarse setting on my Costco Sea Salt grinder)
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tsp water

Directions

1. Place the flour, yeast, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt and half the rosemary (if using) in the food processor bowl. Process in a few bursts to mix. With the processor running, slowly add 1 cup of the water, then the 1/2 cup olive oil and finally the remaining 3/4 cup water. Process until the dough coalesces into a ball and starts riding around on the blade. Turn out on a floured board and knead a few strokes. Dough should be relatively stiff but still pliable. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place ’til doubled, about 1-1/2 hour.
2. Place the baking stone in the oven and preheat to 450º. Punch the dough down, divide into 2 balls and flatten each ball to a disk about 8 – 10 ” in diameter. Place on a corn-meal covered board or peel, cover with a clean towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1/2 hour.
3. When the dough has finished the second rising, use your forefinger to poke deep dimples all over the loaf, about 1-1/2″ apart. Drizzle olive oil over the loaves filling up the dimples as you go, scatter on the remaining rosemary and the coarse salt and slide them onto the stone. Bake 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 375º and bake 20 – 25 minutes more, until the bread is a nice dark golden brown. Two minutes before the bread is done, brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with more coarse salt and if you want more rosemary (as you brush it with the eggwash some of the rosemary on the top will fall off).
4. Allow to cool on a rack for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.