Focaccia With Tomato Sauce And Green Garlic Food

FOCACCIA WITH FRESH TOMATOES

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.

FOCACCIA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND GREEN GARLIC

Steps:

• Mix up the focaccia dough as directed and set in a warm spot to rise.
• Meanwhile, make the tomato-garlic topping. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan or skillet and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it begins to smell fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add the tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly to a fragrant sauce. Stir in the thyme. Taste and adjust salt, and add pepper. Remove from the heat. For a smooth sauce, blend with an immersion blender or pulse in a food processor.
• When the focaccia dough has risen, shape as directed into 1 large focaccia or 2 smaller focacce. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 425 degrees, preferably with a baking stone in it.
• Dimple the dough with your fingertips and spread the tomato sauce over the top in an even layer. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake, setting the pan on top of the baking stone (if using), for 25 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown. If using the mozzarella, tear it into small shreds. Bake the focaccia for 15 minutes, pull it from the oven and quickly scatter the mozzarella over the focaccia, then return to the oven for 10 minutes. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, or allow to cool completely.

ROASTED TOMATO AND GARLIC FOCACCIA

Steps:

• *To Roast Roma Tomatoes: Preheat oven to 425 F. Toss roma tomatoes in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cut a small slit in the top of each tomato. Roast in preheated oven for about 1 hour. Cool, then transfer to a bowl or bag and refrigerate or freeze for later.
• To make the focaccia dough: In a large bowl of the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast with the warm water and sugar. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Add olive oil, salt, garlic powder and 2 cups of the flour. Mix to combine. Start adding additional flour, in small increments, until you have a smooth, moist dough.
• Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Shape in to a ball, cover with a clean tea towel and let stand 20 minutes.
• Prepare the Herb Oil: Combine all the Herb Oil ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Once focaccia dough has rested, grease a 7x11-inch pan (or 8 or 9-inch round cake pagenerously with olive oil. Roll out the dough in to the exact size of your pan (using a bit of flour if sticky), then transfer to your prepared pan, pressing it right out to the edges of the pan with your finger-tips. Spread herb oil evenly over-top and refrigerate dough, uncovered for 3 hours.
• After 3 hours, remove focaccia from refrigerator. Drain any liquid from the tomatoes and hand-crush them over-top of your focaccia, keeping them quite chunky. Top with some grated parmesan cheese.
• Preheat oven to 325 F. Cover focaccia loosely with greased plastic wrap and set pan on top of preheating oven to rise for 30-40 minutes, or until dough has risen slightly above the sides of the pan.
• Bake in 325 F. oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cut into square, wedges or slices and enjoy as is or serve with an olive oil/balsamic dip. Freezes well.

TOMATO-HERB FOCACCIA

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.

NO-KNEAD TOMATO FOCACCIA

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.