**Focaccia with Fresh Tomatoes: A Culinary Journey Through Rustic Italian Flavors**
Focaccia with fresh tomatoes is a quintessential Italian bread that embodies the rustic charm and vibrant flavors of Mediterranean cuisine. Originating from the Liguria region of Italy, this delectable flatbread has captivated taste buds for centuries. With its golden-brown exterior, airy crumb, and a medley of juicy tomatoes, herbs, and olive oil, focaccia is a symphony of textures and flavors. Whether enjoyed as an appetizer, a light meal, or as a side dish to accompany grilled meats and vegetables, focaccia is the embodiment of Italian culinary artistry. Embark on a culinary journey through this article, where you will discover the secrets to creating the perfect focaccia, including variations such as fluffy focaccia with herbs, sun-dried tomato focaccia, and a vegan focaccia recipe for those with dietary restrictions.
**Recipes Included:**
- **Classic Focaccia with Fresh Tomatoes:** A step-by-step guide to creating the traditional focaccia using a combination of active dry yeast, fresh tomatoes, herbs, and olive oil.
- **Fluffy Focaccia with Herbs:** A variation that incorporates a mixture of fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and oregano, for an aromatic and flavorful twist.
- **Sun-Dried Tomato Focaccia:** A delightful variation that utilizes the tangy and concentrated flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, creating a vibrant and colorful bread.
- **Vegan Focaccia:** A recipe tailored for those with vegan dietary preferences, using plant-based ingredients to create a delicious and wholesome focaccia.
Immerse yourself in the world of focaccia and explore the diverse flavors and textures of this beloved Italian bread. Let your kitchen be filled with the enticing aromas of fresh herbs, ripe tomatoes, and golden-brown bread as you embark on this culinary adventure.
FOCACCIA WITH FRESH TOMATOES
Provided by Food Network
Categories dessert
Time 1h7m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- To make the sponge, place the yeast and water into a medium sized bowl, and stir to dissolve yeast. Add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or your hands for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth, and a somewhat elastic dough has formed. The starter will be thick and stretchy.
- Scrape the starter into a clear container with high sides and cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise.
- At this point you have two options. If you plan to make the dough later the same day, let the sponge rise at room temperature until it has risen to the point where it just begins to indent on top. This may take 6 to 8 hours. It will triple in volume and very small dents and folds will begin to appear in the top of the surface as it reaches its peak and begins to deflate. Make sure to use it before it sinks too much.
- If you are not planning to make the dough until the next day, let the sponge rise for 1 hour after mixing, then place it in the refrigerator and let it rise for at least 14 hours before taking it out to use. Be sure to compensate for the cold temperature of the starter by using warm water in the dough, or let it sit out, covered, until it reaches room temperature.
- To make the dough, place the yeast and water in a large bowl. Stir the yeast so it dissolves, and allow to stand for 1 minute.
- Add the sponge to the yeast mixture, and mix with your hands for 1 minute to break up the sponge. The mixture should be foamy. Add the flour and mix it in with your hands, lifting the wet mixture over the flour to incorporate it. Once the dough becomes a shaggy mass, knead in the bowl for 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Add the salt to the dough and knead briefly to incorporate. Gradually add the oil and milk, and knead gently until all the liquid has been incorporated.
- Move the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until it begins to become smooth, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. The dough will be sticky, so keep the work surface lightly floured.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn the dough to coat it, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until almost double in size, approximately 2 hours.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- When the dough has risen, loosen it from the bowl with lightly floured hands, and pour it onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 9 equal pieces, about 5 1/4 ounces each. Shape the dough into balls and place on the baking sheet approximately 4 inches apart. Brush each piece with olive oil, and press down gently so the bread is more like a disk than a roll. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough has almost doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Toss the slices of tomatoes in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes in a decorative fashion on the dough. With your finger tips, press down on the dough in a few places, making impressions where olive oil can gather. Lightly brush the dough with olive oil, allowing it to pool in the dimples. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven, mist the loaves with water from a spray bottle, shut the oven door, and continue to bake. Mist again one minute later.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and bake for 15 to 25 minutes longer, or until golden brown and crusty.
- Remove the focaccia from the oven immediately, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with fresh herbs such as basil if desired. Let cool on a cooling rack.
TOMATO-HERB FOCACCIA
With its medley of herbs and tomatoes, this rustic bread will liven up any occasion, whether it's a family dinner or a game-day get-together. It never lasts long! -Janet Miller, Indianapolis, Indiana
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Appetizers
Time 50m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1 tablespoon oil, salt, sugar, garlic powder, herbs, pepper and 1-1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape into a 13-in. x 9-in. rectangle; place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. With fingertips, make several dimples over top of dough., Brush dough with remaining oil; arrange tomatoes over the top. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack. Freeze option: Freeze cooled focaccia squares in freezer containers, separating layers with waxed paper. To use, reheat squares on a baking sheet in a preheated 400° oven until heated through.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 112 calories, Fat 3g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 2mg cholesterol, Sodium 320mg sodium, Carbohydrate 18g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 3g protein. Diabetic exchanges
CHERRY TOMATO & BASIL FOCACCIA
When I had 80 pounds of tomatoes, I got creative incorporating them into meals. Sometimes I slice this loaf into squares to make sandwiches with fresh mozzarella cheese and deli meats. -Katie Ferrier, Houston, Texas
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 1h
Yield 2 loaves (20 pieces each).
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. In a large bowl, combine canola oil, sugar, salt, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan two-thirds with water; bring to a boil. Cut a shallow "X" on the bottom of each tomato. Using a slotted spoon, place tomatoes, a cup at a time, in boiling water for 30 seconds or just until skin at the "X" begins to loosen., Remove tomatoes and immediately drop into ice water. Pull off and discard skins. Place tomatoes in a small bowl; drizzle with oil., Preheat oven to 425°. Sprinkle 2 greased baking sheets with cornmeal; set aside. Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a 12x8-in. rectangle and place on prepared baking sheets., Using fingertips, press several dimples into dough. Pour tomato mixture over dough; sprinkle with basil, coarse salt and pepper. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes., Bake until golden brown, 15-18 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 97 calories, Fat 4g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 1mg cholesterol, Sodium 125mg sodium, Carbohydrate 14g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 2g protein.
NO-KNEAD TOMATO FOCACCIA
Garlic and thyme are perfect partners for the juicy cherry tomatoes that top this easy focaccia. Minimal dough handling means the bread requires just 15 minutes of prep.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Breakfast & Brunch Recipes Bread Recipes
Time 14h15m
Yield Makes one 12-by-18 inch focaccia
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon thyme. Add cold water and 1/3 cup oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until a wet dough forms and no dry flour remains. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough quadruples in volume and top appears bubbly, at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours.
- Pour 1/3 cup oil onto a 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Lightly coat your hands with oil on sheet, and scrape dough onto center of sheet. Turn dough to evenly coat with oil, then press to spread in an even thickness to edges of pan. Use your fingers to make dimple-like indentations all over dough. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume (dough should reach top of sheet rim), about 1 1/2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees with rack in lower third. In a bowl, toss tomatoes with garlic, red-pepper flakes, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 2 teaspoons thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle evenly over dough; drizzle with any accumulated juices from bowl.
- Bake until puffed slightly and golden brown on top, 16 to 18 minutes (if top is browning too quickly,tent with foil). Let focaccia cool in pan on a wire rack until warm but no longer hot, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or room-temperature, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.
FOCACCIA WITH TOMATOES AND ROSEMARY
This beautiful bread is a great way to use summer tomatoes, but the heat from the oven will draw rich, deep flavor from the less flavorful ones found in winter as well.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories appetizer
Time 2h45m
Yield 12 to 15 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, or in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water. Add the olive oil, whole-wheat flour, 200 grams of the all-purpose flour and salt and mix together briefly using the paddle attachment. Change to the dough hook and beat for 8 to 10 minutes at medium speed, adding flour as necessary. The dough should eventually form a ball around the dough hook and slap against the sides of the bowl as the mixer turns; it will be sticky. Remove from the bowl, flour your hands and knead for a minute on a lightly floured surface, and shape into a ball.
- If kneading the dough by hand, dissolve the yeast in the water with the sugar as directed. Stir in the olive oil, whole-wheat flour, salt and all-purpose flour by the half-cup, until the dough can be scraped out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, for 10 minutes, until the dough is elastic and smooth. Shape into a ball.
- Clean and dry your bowl and oil lightly with olive oil. Place the dough in it, rounded side down first, then rounded side up. Cover tightly with plastic and let rise in a warm spot for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours, until doubled.
- Punch down the dough. Cover with lightly oiled plastic and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, preferably with a baking stone in it. Line a sheet pan with parchment and oil generously. Roll or press out the dough into a rectangle the size of the sheet pan or just slightly smaller. To do this efficiently, roll or press out the dough, stop and wait 5 minutes for the gluten to relax, then roll or press out again, and repeat until the dough reaches the right size. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Just before baking, use your fingertips to dimple the dough all over.
- Cut the tomatoes into rounds and place on top of the focaccia. Sprinkle with coarse salt and the rosemary. Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil over all.
- Bake, setting the pan on top of the baking stone (if using), for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, or allow to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 124, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 1 gram, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 195 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram
FRESH FOCACCIA
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Categories side-dish
Time 2h10m
Yield 1 large loaf
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar, sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it bloom until bubbly, 5 to 15 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine the 4 cups all-purpose flour and the wheat flour together with the salt and chopped rosemary. Gradually add the flour mixture to the bloomed yeast in the stand mixer. Then add 1/2 cup of the olive oil.
- Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be very loose.
- Transfer the dough to a clean, floured surface and knead by hand for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Wipe out the stand mixer bowl and coat with some olive oil. Return the dough to the oiled bowl and let it rest in a warm place, covered with a dish towel, until doubled in size, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Oil a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Spread the dough into the baking sheet using your fingertips to create dimples all over the dough. The more dimples you make, the more texture the bread will have.
- Brush oil all over the dough with a pastry brush and sprinkle rosemary leaves into some of the dimples. Top with the tomato slices and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Cover the dough again with the towel and let rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, another 30 minutes.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
- Bake the dough until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
BASIL-PARMESAN FOCACCIA WITH FRESH TOMATOES
Provided by Joanna Pruess
Categories pizza and calzones, appetizer
Time 2h35m
Yield Eight to 10 generous first-course servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Place the chopped onion in a bowl and pour boiling water over it. After 15 seconds, drain and blot dry with paper towels. Set aside.
- Combine the yeast with the half-cup of water. Add one and a half cups of the flour and mix. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board and knead it for about eight minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Pour one tablespoon of the olive oil in a bowl, add the dough, turning once to cover with the oil. Drape a lightly dampened towel over the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk. This will take one and a half hours with rapid-rise yeast, or three hours with regular yeast.
- Punch down the dough, add the onion, a quarter-cup of water, three tablespoons of olive oil, the cup of Parmesan cheese, the remaining flour, the basil and two teaspoons salt, and mix. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead it for eight minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic, adding small amounts of additional flour if needed.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Roll the dough into a large circle measuring about 15 inches in diameter and about a quarter-inch thick, and transfer it to a heavy cookie sheet. Using your fingertips, make several indentations in the dough, so the surface is irregular. Brush with two tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle on two teaspoons of coarse salt. Bake in the top half of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown and crisp. (You may prepare the recipe ahead to this point, but leave the baked focaccia at room temperature.)
- To prepare the topping, combine the olive oil, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Lay the sliced tomatoes in an overlapping pattern on the focaccia and spoon the olive-oil mixture over them. Return the focaccia to the oven for two minutes. Sprinkle with three tablespoons of Parmesan and return the focaccia to the oven just until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about one to two minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into large slices. Serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 358, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 34 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 12 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 352 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The freshness and quality of your ingredients will greatly impact the taste of your focaccia. Look for fresh, ripe tomatoes, high-quality olive oil, and flavorful herbs.
- Don't overwork the dough: Overworking the dough will result in a tough, dense focaccia. Mix the dough just until it comes together, then let it rest for the specified time.
- Preheat your baking sheet: Preheating your baking sheet will help the focaccia cook evenly and prevent it from sticking.
- Don't crowd the focaccia: Make sure to leave enough space between the focaccia pieces on the baking sheet so that they have room to rise and spread.
- Bake the focaccia until it is golden brown: The focaccia is done baking when it is golden brown on top and cooked through in the center. Insert a toothpick into the center of the focaccia; if it comes out clean, the focaccia is done.
Conclusion:
Focaccia with fresh tomatoes is a delicious and versatile bread that can be enjoyed in many different ways. Whether you serve it as an appetizer, a side dish, or a main course, this focaccia is sure to be a hit. With its crispy crust, fluffy interior, and flavorful toppings, this focaccia is a perfect addition to any meal.
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