Roasted Tomato and Asiago Cheese Focaccia Bread

Not long before my dad was diagnosed with cancer, and well in to his chemo, he became a bread baking fiend; so much so that we used to joke that he should open up a bakery in my parents’ apartment. He was so meticulous, so precise, that he would try a recipe over and over and over some more until he felt that it was perfect.

One of his favorite things to bake was focaccia. He would top the rustic bread with everything from roasted peppers to caramelized onions to plain old pepperoni.  No matter what the topping, by the time he perfected the recipe, you couldn’t get enough of it. (OK, I admit, I avoided the anchovy topped focaccia like The Plague!)

My father has been gone for several years now but we’re left with a fabulous three-ring binder full of  recipes that he took great care in typing up, laminating and preserving. Today, I decided to bake up some focaccia as a tip of the hat to my dad. This is actually my own recipe, but it’s inspired by the many great culinary moments in Papa Caponie’s Bakery. I hope you enjoy it!

Roasted Tomatoes:

What You’ll Need:

• 3 or 4 medium sized, very fresh, ripe tomatoes. (I use organic vine-on tomatoes as I find them to be the freshest)
• Good olive oil (I highly recommend a ship here in Chicago, Ta-Ze, they have free shipping anywhere over a certain $ amount… check them out!)
• Approx. 1/4 c. of finely minced fresh herbs (I use a mix of basil, thyme, rosemary and oregano from my herb garden) You will want to set about a tsp of each aside for the focaccia dough!
• Garlic (garlic, garlic and more garlic, I use about 4 cloves, finely minced)
• Kosher salt and Fresh cracked pepper (add to your liking)
• Balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Cut the tomatoes in halves and take out the harder middle using a paring knife. Lay all halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment or aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil until all the tomatoes are coated.
2. Mix minced herbs, salt, pepper and garlic together and sprinkle over tomato halves and add a bit of additional olive oil on top to coat the herb/garlic mix. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar (don’t go too heavy… balsamic vinegar, while fabulous, is strong, you don’t need a lot)
3. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes or until the tomatoes flatten and crisp a bit on the edges. Don’t overcook! You’ll lose too much of the wonderful flavor and, trust me when I tell you this, you don’t want to do that. Once cooked, let sit to cool. As they cool, the tomatoes will continue to flatten until they resemble sun-dried tomatoes. They look ugly but they taste fantastic!

Focaccia Bread

What You’ll Need:

• 1 package of dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp if you’re using the yeast in a jar)
• 1 c. warm water (not hot, just warm… about 110 degrees or so)
• 1 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp each fresh herbs (see above)
• 2 to 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• Roasted Tomatoes (ultimately, you’ll use enough to cover the focaccia. If you have some left over, they’re great in pasta dishes or when used to make homemade spaghetti sauce!)
• 1/4 c asiago cheese
• 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Optional- If you love cheese like me, you can also use a four cheese blend. Trader Joes has a fantastic Quatro Formaggio blend of Parmesan, Provolone, Asiago and Fontina)

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water and add 1 Tbs of the oil, salt, sugar, garlic powder, herbs, and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Beat together until smooth. (I actually use the dough hook on my Kitchen Aid and it works perfectly) Stir in remaining flour just until it forms a soft, sticky dough. (if you’re using a mixer, it should create what looks like a cyclone and stick slightly to the bottom of the bowl)
2. Turn out on to a floured surface and knead the dough for about 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Don’t overknead! You won’t get the airy bread that you’re ultimately looking for.
3. Form dough in to a ball and put it in a greased bowl. (I use olive oil) Flip it once so that the entire ball is coated. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
4. Punch down dough then cover and let rest again for about ten minutes. Shape in to a rectangle in a well oiled 9×13 baking pan, cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Once doubled, gently tap with your fingertips to create dimples all over the top of the rectangle.
5. Brush dough with the remaining olive oil and arrange tomatoes over the top. Sprinkle the cheese over the sough and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove immediately from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack (a tip- cooling on a wire rack rather than a solid surface prevents the bottom from getting wet from condensation)
6. Cut in to squares and enjoy!! This can also be sliced in half for fantastic sandwiches!

Don’t hesitate to drop me a line if you have any questions!

*tracey*