If you've never baked bread before, baking your own focaccia is the gateway. It’s so easy and when you’re on the fourth consecutive meal of leftovers and can't take it anymore, future you is going to thank you for this stuffed holiday leftover focaccia!
Guys it’s the last recipe video of 2019! And we're going out with a bang here with the stuffed holiday leftover focaccia!
Talk about levelled up leftovers! I know I do this kind of thing a lot, a la RECIPE?! but this time I've outdone myself.
But before I get into that, I can’t even believe how quickly this year has whizzed by. I've gone to amazing places, met tremendous people and experienced once in a lifetime opportunities! And I can't forget about the food. All of the outstanding vegan food I’ve dreamt up, eaten and manifested into reality has been unreal. I know 2020 is going to be even more delicious!
Ok back to this. I had to end the year on a comforting carby high note OBVI - so check out this stuffed holiday leftover focaccia. It’s an amazing way to transform any and all holiday leftovers ya got lying around after the big day.
What goes into the stuffed holiday leftover focaccia you're wondering?! Well, anything you damn please, but in my case I shoved mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffed vegan turkey, and even the hasselback broccoli - it’s all gettin’ used up!
The gravy dip is the one from the whole roasted cauliflower skillet recipe. Which I'm sure is now your holiday feast staple!
stuffed holiday leftover focaccia
Ingredients
focaccia dough (adapted from that dough in the hot for food cookbook)
- 3 C all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon quick rise yeast
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ½ C warm water (between 120°F and 130°F)
- ¼ C + 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- Maldon salt or flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (pulled off the stem) + extra whole sprigs for garnish
holiday leftover fillings
- 2 C very smooth mashed potatoes, lukewarm
- 2 leftover stuffed broccoli crowns, lukewarm & finely chopped
- 2 to 3 portions cooked vegan stuffed turkey, lukewarm, sliced thinly (16 to 20 x ¼-inch slices) (we used gardein savory stuffed turk'y)
- ½ to ¾ C cranberry sauce, lukewarm
gravy (makes about 1 ½ cups)
- ¼ C vegan butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- ⅓ C low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- ½ C maple syrup
- ¼ C roasted tahini
- 2 tablespoon vegan worcestershire
- ¼ C water (optional)
Instructions
- To make that dough, add all purpose flour, granulated sugar, quick rise yeast, sea salt and vegetable oil into the bowl of a stand mixer. Start the mixer on low speed and gradually add warm water in a slow stream. Gradually increase the speed and continue mixing for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Touch the dough and if it's too sticky add only 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour while continuing to mix on medium speed. The dough should be moist but shouldn't stick too much to your finger when you touch it. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel for about 10 minutes.
- In a 9 x 13-inch large aluminum pan add ¼ cup olive oil in an even layer to the bottom of the pan. Roll out dough on a floured surface into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Carefully transfer the dough so half of the long side is inside the pan and the other half is hanging out of the pan.
- To assemble, use the back of a spoon to smooth a thin layer of mashed potatoes on just the dough that's inside the pan. Leave about ¼-inch bare from the edges with no filling. Then add the chopped broccoli crowns of leftover veggies in an even layer. Then add the sliced vegan stuffed turkey and finish with a thin layer of cranberry sauce. Using your hands, quickly life and fold the overhang of dough overtop of the fillings. Use your fingers to gently press around the edges to seal and gently dab the top with your fingers to make small imprints in the dough. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 425°F about 20 minutes before the dough is finished rising.
- Before placing the focaccia in the oven, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top and sprinkle with flaked salt and fresh rosemary. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Let the focaccia cool for about 15 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing.
- To make the gravy, heat a saucepan over medium and add vegan butter. Once melted, add the minced garlic and shallow. Stir and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Then add nutmeg, celery salt, rosemary and thyme and continue stirring for another minute. Add soy sauce or tamari, maple syrup, tahini, and worcestershire whisking until combined well. Whisk occasionally as you bring the gravy to a low simmer. Once it's bubbling, lower heat and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. If the gravy sits too long or you're reheating it, you can add ¼ cup water to thin it out to reach a more dippable or pourable consistency.
- Slice the stuffed focaccia into thick strips along the length of the loaf and garnish with whole rosemary sprigs, if using. Serve with gravy on the side for dipping.
Lauren Toyota
Lauren is a plant-based powerhouse, a former TV host turned wildly successful food creator, best-selling cookbook author, and the woman responsible for making vegan comfort food a thing worth craving. Through her blog and YouTube channel, hot for food, she’s amassed a dedicated following by recreating all the nostalgic, indulgent dishes we love—mac & cheese, burgers, cinnamon rolls—but making them entirely plant-based. No compromise on taste, no weird ingredients, just damn good food.