Herbed Focaccia Stuffed With Tomato And Provolone Cheese Food

HERBED FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Coat a 13 by 9-inch sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread out the pizza dough to fit the sheet pan.
• In a small bowl mix together the Italian seasoning and remaining olive oil. Brush the seasoned oil all over the top of the dough, making sure to reserve about 2 teaspoons. Using your fingers punch dimples about halfway down into the dough. Bake in the hot oven for about 8 minutes.
• Remove the focaccia from the oven, top with tomato slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and bush with remaining 2 teaspoons of the oil mixture. Return to the oven and bake until the focaccia is gold brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm with Tuscan Peasant Soup with Tortellini.

HERB STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the tomatoes in half, horizontally. Use a small spoon to gently hollow out the inside of the tomatoes, discarding the seeds and reserving the pulp and being careful not to puncture the outer shell. Chop the reserved pulp and put in a medium bowl. Add the parsley, bread crumbs, cheese, and pepper and mix gently to combine. Place the tomato halves in a buttered casserole dish, and fill with the bread crumb mixture. Drizzle the top of the tomatoes with olive oil. Bake until the tops are browned, about 20 minutes.

OLIVE, CHERRY TOMATO & FETA FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large bowl with the yeast and 2 tsp salt, and mix together. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil, then slowly pour in 350ml lukewarm water, continuing to mix until you have a slightly sticky dough. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until the dough is soft and less sticky, then put in a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Generously oil a shallow rectangular baking tin (ours was 20 x 30cm). Tip in the dough, then use your hands to stretch it out until it reaches the corners of the tin. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for a further 35-45 mins. Meanwhile, tip the tomatoes into a bowl, season, add the oregano and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Toss together and set aside.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Press the tomato halves evenly into the into the dough, then do the same with the olives. Crumble over the feta, then lightly press everything down again using your fingertips. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and scatter with sea salt, then bake for 25-30 mins until deep golden and puffed up. While the bread is still hot, drizzle over the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then slice. You can wrap it in the tin to take on a picnic, or wrap individual squares. Will keep wrapped, or in an airtight container, for up to two days.

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.

HERBED FOCACCIA STUFFED WITH TOMATO AND PROVOLONE CHEESE

Steps:

• Oil lightly a well-seasoned 12 inch cast-iron skillet with vegetable oil and sprinkle bottom with cornmeal.
• In a large bowl, proof yeast in ½ cup lukewarm water and ½ tsp sugar for 15 minutes, or until foamy.
• Add 2 cups of flour, salt, herbs, ¾ cup olive oil and 1 ½ cups lukewarm water and stir until combined well.
• Stir in 4 cups flour and gather dough into a ball.
• Knead dough on a floured surface, adding more of remaining flour if necessary, for 15-20 minutes, or until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky.
• Form into a ball, put in an oiled bowl and turn to coat.
• Let dough rise, covered tightly with plastic wrap, in a warm place, for 45 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
• Punch dough down.
• Knead lightly and halve.
• In skillet, flatten and stretch half the dough to cover bottom completely.
• With fingertips, dimple the dough in places 2 inches apart.
• Brush with 1 tblsp oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Arrange ¾ of the provolone, overlapping and leaving a ½ inch border; layer ¾s of plum tomatoes and top with remaining provolone.
• On a flat surface, flatten and stretch remaining dough to fit skillet.
• Lay over filling and press edges together firmly to enclose filling.
• Make dimples in the dough in the same manner as before, brush with 2 tblsps oil, and sprinkle with more coarse salt.
• Arrange remaining plum tomatoes and cherry tomatoes decoratively on dough.
• Brush with 1 tblsp oil.
• Let dough rise, covered with dampened kitchen towel, in a warm place, for 30 minutes.
• Bake in upper third of a preheated 400F oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden-brown around edge, and let cool in skillet for 5 minutes.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.