So it is not that we did not already have tomatoes from our CSA but I believe that you can never ever have too many tomatoes at their ultimate peak. What do you think? - I decided that it was finally time for me to make a Focaccia. You know, thick delicious dough, topped with juicy tomatoes, onions, the super sweet red peppers we got in our CSA box last week... It was a huge hit.
Tomato-Pepper-Onion Rosemary Focaccia with optional Chorizo
Dough - slightly adapted from Tylor Florence as published on Food Network click on link or follow my version below
- 3-3/4 C flour
- 1 Tb fresh rosemary coarsely chopped {or more if you like}
- 2-1/4 tsp yeast
- 2 Tb sugar
- 1 C warm water {not hot}
- 1 Tb salt + 2 Tb warm water {not hot}
- 1/4 Olive Oil
- 1/4 C medium grind Cornmeal {for rolling out the dough}
- Combine yeast with water and sugar. Stir gently - after a couple of minutes
- Slowly add flour along with rosemary {you can either use your hands - like me; or use the kneading hook of your kitchen machine} then
- Dissolve salt in water and add to flour/yeast mixture along with the olive oil
- Knead until a smooth elastic dough forms {when kneading by hand I like to "beat" the dough down, fold on each other and knead some more - this is a good workout :)}
- When the dough is nice and smooth place it in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise at a warm spot.
- Dough is ready when it has doubled in size.
- About 30 minutes before you are ready to bake line a deeper cookie sheet with parchment paper as well as a tiny bit of olive oil
- Roll out your dough the size of the cookie sheet, place it on the prepared cookie sheet, cover again with plastic wrap and let rise until ready to assemble {step 3 below}
- 1-1/2 lb heirloom tomatoes {or more}
- 1/2 C basil chopped
- 1 red pepper sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1/2 C Olive Oil
- 5 garlic cloves (or more) cut in half
- Additional basil leaves
- 6.oz. Chorizo {optional - if using be sure to read the label as these often contain dairy}
- Slice and seed tomatoes before placing them in a bowl together with olive oil, basil, and a pinch of salt
- Heat a little bit of olive oil in a pan and sautee onions as well as peppers until they are soft
- Take plastic wrap off the dough and slightly press little dimples into the dough {using your fingers}
- Pour a little bit of olive oil over the dough and spread it slightly over it {just about 1/2 Tb}
- Then top dough with - if using - chorizo, garlic, sauteed onion and peppers. Take the tomatoes out of the "juice" and place them also on top of the focaccia
- Before baking, pour all of the tomato-olive oil juice over the entire focaccia.
- Bake immediately for about 30-40 minutes
- Serve hot, or cold. You can serve it topped with additional basil.
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