I did make a couple modifications based on ingredients that I had and things I thought would go well. Without further adieu, here's my version of Caramelized Onion Parmesan Bread:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
3 yellow onions
garlic salt to taste
black pepper to taste
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp butter, melted
The night before you plan to make your bread, mix together flour, yeast, salt, and water in large mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise overnight (somewhere between 12-20 hours).
While the dough is rising, caramelize the onions. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on the stove. Quarter, then slice the onions and add them to the pan. Cook on low/medium heat and stir every few minutes. After 30 minutes, add seasonings, if you'd like. I added black pepper and garlic salt, but you can add whatever seasonings that you enjoy. I cooked the onions on low for two hours and I was really happy with the flavor that developed. Put the onions in the fridge to cool down until it's time to add them to the bread. I cooked the onions the night before so that they could be completely chilled when I added them to the dough the next day.
After you've allowed the dough to rise, scrape the dough out onto a floured surface. Pour the chilled onions on top, spreading them out a little. Pour on 1/2 cup of the Parmesan (reserving 1/4 cup for later). Knead the dough, adding flour as necessary and working the cheese and onion through the bread. The onions are a little sticky and tricky to work with, but just keep folding the dough over them, they will eventually incorporate into the dough.
Once the dough is uniform, form it into a ball and place it in a parchment lined bowl for two hours. Make sure to place the bowl in a warm place during this time. My apartment is cold and I have no windows in my kitchen so I turn my oven on low and set the bowl on a potholder on the back of the stove at this point.
Forty minutes before the two hours is up, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Once the oven is preheated, place the dutch oven in the oven to heat up for 30 minutes.
Once the dutch oven has heated up, gently pick up the parchment paper with the dough and place it in the dutch oven. Close the lid and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
After baking for 40 minutes, remove from oven, open lid and pour the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle on the last 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Close the lid and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. If you want a crispier crust, bake for 5 minutes with the lid off.
Allow to cool for at least an hour and then enjoy. I made garlic bread to have with homemade lasagna and it was delicious.
