Focaccia with Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic
What is focaccia really? Is it pizza? Is it bread? Well, it’s a little bit of both. This version of focaccia is definitely a crowd-pleaser. Just stand back and watch people’s eyes light up as they get the zip from the crushed red pepper. That, along with the subtle taste of the roasted garlic, makes this a perfect food to share—just make sure whoever you talk to eats some of it, too.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 45 pieces
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Stir together the water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Gradually add the flour until the mixture forms a soft dough.
Step 2
Lightly sprinkle a work surface with flour and place the dough in the center. Before kneading the dough, dip your hands in flour to keep them from sticking to the dough. To knead, fold the dough in half and push forward on it slightly with the heels of your hands. Rotate the dough a quarter turn, and again fold it in half, then push on it with the heels of your hands. Continue the turn, fold, and push process for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Along the way, dust the dough and the work surface with flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. You may need as much as 1 cup of additional flour.
Step 3
Coat a large bowl with oil or cooking spray. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, rolling the ball around in the bowl to lightly coat it with oil. Place the bowl in a warm spot, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 45 minutes, or until almost double in size.
Step 4
Lightly coat an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet with oil or cooking spray. Place the dough on the baking sheet and gently pull out the dough until it fills the entire pan in a fairly even layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and let rise for 30 minutes.
Step 5
While the dough is rising, roast the garlic. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel the garlic and place on a 12-inch piece of aluminum foil. Pull up the ends of the foil to form a pouch and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Fold over the ends of the foil to seal the pouch and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the garlic is soft. Leave the oven on. Place the garlic and oil in a bowl and smash with a fork. Spread the roasted garlic over the dough.
Step 6
Coarsely chop the basil leaves and sprinkle over the garlic. Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds by scraping them out of the tomato with a small tool or your finger, and cut the tomato into thin slices. Arrange the tomato slices evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the crushed red pepper over the tomatoes. Tear each of the provolone slices into 5 or 6 pieces and arrange them over the tomatoes. Bake the focaccia for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.
food trivia
Step 7
Early versions of focaccia were cooked on the hearth of a hot fire or on a heated tile. It’s always had a range of inventive toppings, including herbs, garlic, and onion, but crispy ciccioli, which is the leftovers from rendering chopped-up pork fat into lard, might be a step too far.
