Summer Tomato Focaccia
This is a great project for a beginning cook—the recipe is simple and straightforward.
This is a great project for a beginning cook—the recipe is simple and straightforward.
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 cups warm water (110f)
- 2 tsp yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tsp table salt
- 1 cup flax meal
- 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
- 1 pint of grape tomatoes (optional since i don't have any, ha!)
- grated parmesan cheese for sprinkling
- kosher or sea salt for sprinkling over the top
- Carbohydrate 481.432124717159 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 45.9238121181647 g
- Fiber 38.1799692893387 g
- Protein 91.0918652262728 g
- Saturated Fat 4.61745771495915 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (734g)
- Sodium 4689.07864110622 mg
- Sugar 443.25215542782 g
- Trans Fat 5.35017498365806 g
- Calories 2725 calories
Step-by-step
- set the oven to 425F
- Put the yeast in a large mixing bowl and pour in the warm water.
- Add the salt and 2 cups of the flour, mix into a soft and sticky dough.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and mix well. (The dough will still be sticky)
- Cover and let rise for 40 minutes in a warm place.
- Press out the dough on a well oiled, or silpat lined baking sheet. Using your fingers, ease it into a rectangle, approximately 9×13, give or take.
- Put the butter/olive oil in a small bowl and dip your fingers into the oil, and then all over the bread, poking the bread surface and leaving little pools of oil. Do this all over the bread. Don’t skimp; this will result in great flavor after the bread is baked.
- OPTIONAL!!Arrange the tomatoes across the top, pressing them into the dough slightly, then scatter the rosemary leaves evenly across the surface. END OPTIONAL!!!
- Sprinkle sea salt over all, and finally top with a dusting of Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden.
Working with a standard home oven requires mindful management of moisture when baking flatbreads, and placing a small bowl of water inside the oven cavity prevents the crust from drying out too quickly. Focaccia relies fundamentally on fat saturation rather than rigorous kneading to develop its characteristic interior crumb. Dipping fingers into a warm mixture of butter and olive oil before dimpling the dough creates distinct surface pockets that trap oil, frying the exterior dough during the bake.
- Dissolve active yeast in water measured precisely at 110 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure proper activation without killing the cultures.
- Allow the sticky dough to ferment undisturbed in a warm draft-free space for exactly 40 minutes to build initial gas pockets.
- Select truly tiny grape tomatoes or halve standard cherry tomatoes prior to placement so they release excess moisture without soggy spots forming underneath.
- Bake the rectangle on a well-oiled baking sheet at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 to 20 minutes until the edges turn lightly golden.
Avoid the common mistake of skimping on the fat distribution across the top surface before the pan goes into the oven. Proper pooling of oil and butter ensures the bottom crust fries correctly while the interior stays tender.
