Place all dough ingredients except cooked onion in the machine, program for knead and first rise. Press start. Strain onions and return liquid. At end of final knead, add the onion (without liquid) to the machine. Restart and knead only until the onion is roughly mixed in. The dough will be wet and onion will remain in clumps, sticking out of the dough. Turn the dough out on a well-floured board and knead briefly by hand to form a ball. Oil a pizza pan or baking sheet. Place the dough on the prepared pan and pat into a 12" disk. Coat the top of the dough with the onion juices. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise either at room temperature until doubled in bulk, or in the refrigerator overnight. A long cold rise in the refrigerator will result in a more flavorful bread with a heartier interior. Preheat the oven to 450 F. with the rack in the center position.
Just before baking the dough, use your fingertips to gently make indentations in the surface. Drizzle on the oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce to oven to 350 F. and bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Cooking Conference 07-19-95 Revised for Meal-Master Format by Katherine Smith