It’s not spring yet, but today we had a sneak peek at it. Sunny and warm beyond any logical desire considering we still have, officially, one more winter month to surf. From hail to rain to 24ºC (75ºF), back to dark skies. In the time it took me to bake the bread and go to the terrace and take pictures with natural light, it’s now getting absolutely cloudy. It’ll probably rain, again. So boring. And uneventful. Except for this glorious roasted tomato bread, or focaccia.
The main attraction today, besides the fact that I misplaced some documents that I still can’t find, is this tomato bread. Though it may very well be a milk dough focaccia. To me it’s my afternoon tea and I’m afraid to admit it will probably end up being dinner. Yeah, things like that happen when you live alone. You eat roasted tomato bread for tea and dinner.
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The whole process is that of a focaccia but milk is used instead of water.
It reminded me of the pizzas I used to eat growing up, that had a thick dough, not those thin excuses that some places sell today. This tomato bread is soft, pillowy and melt-in-your-mouth smooth. The roasted tomatoes are the perfect topping, since they become a bit jammy and sweet.
It reminded me of the pizzas I used to eat growing up, that had a thick dough, not those thin excuses that some places sell today. This tomato bread is soft, pillowy and melt-in-your-mouth smooth. The roasted tomatoes are the perfect topping, since they become a bit jammy and sweet.
I know tomatoes are not in season right now, but I think I deserve to believe they are, since for the last months I´ve been looking at fabulous pictures and recipes of summer fruits and vegetables, splashed with abandon across the screen, vibrant, amazing colors that haunted me every time I walked up and down the produce section of the market in the hope I would find something barely interesting. The fault is yours, wonderful food bloggers. You make me long like a kid outside a closed toy store.
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So, yes, I did pretend these were sun-kissed tomatoes. Though I have to admit they were quite sweet, especially after roasting them, which is one of my favorite ways of cooking.
And now I can calmly go look for those documents again, the third time today. My taste buds are happy and I can trick my mind into keeping calm while I try to decide what to do if they don’t appear. I still have more tomato bread to keep me company.
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| Ready to go into the oven |
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Roasted tomato bread or focaccia
- Yield: 12 1x
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Ingredients
- 4 pints cherry tomatoes (sliced)
- ½ cup + 6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil (plus more for the pan and last drizzle)
- 4 teaspoons coarse salt
- 3 ½ cups milk
- 1 ½ pounds about 5 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 10 oz. about 1 ¾ cups semolina flour
- ½ oz. dry yeast or 1 ½ oz. fresh yeast
- Fresh or dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300º.
- Place tomatoes in large, rimmed baking tray (use two trays if needed). Drizzle ¼ cup olive oil over and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt.
- Bake until beginning to shrivel and juice on pan has been reduces, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and reserve.
- Brush a 17×12 inch rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Reserve.
- Turn oven tº to 425º.
- Over low heat, bring milk to simmer in small saucepan.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine remaining 2 teaspoons salt, flours, 6 Tbs olive oil and the yeast.
- Mix on low speed, gradually pouring hot milk until combined, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Once combined, mix on medium speed for 1 minute. The dough will be very sticky.
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. With oiled hands, spread dough evenly, making sure it fills the pan.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until it almost reaches the rim of the pan, about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Dimple dough with your hands, arrange ¾ of the roasted tomatoes on top, drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil, sprinkle with thyme and remaining 2 teaspoons coarse salt.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden, dry, and the bottom golden too.
- Serve warm with an extra drizzle of oil and some sea salt if you want to.
- Cuisine: Italian
barely adapted from Baking Handbook, by Martha Stewart
spike. says
August 22, 2012 at 23:37wow, this looks amazing! I'm bookmarking this recipe for use with the rest of my tomatoes from the garden
Susan says
August 23, 2012 at 02:22Love it, Paula! And, it's just perfect for us just now!
Cathleen says
August 23, 2012 at 02:45OMG! This looks fabulous!! I would have no problem having this for dinner (breakfast and lunch ~ all the same day!) I will be making this for sure for our next girls night!! Thanks for sharing!!
yummychunklet says
August 23, 2012 at 02:52OMG, this looks amazing!
Medeja says
August 23, 2012 at 06:02What a lovely flavorful bread!
Beth Michelle says
August 23, 2012 at 06:11There is nothing wrong with eating this for tea and dinner! I dont live alone and I would still do that!! It looks wonderful.
seetfei says
August 23, 2012 at 12:57I will love this Tomato Bread for the whole day….:D Thanks for sharing, Paula.
Renee Dobbs says
August 23, 2012 at 14:15Oh wow that looks absolutely fantastic! I think I could eat the whole thing. Awesome.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
August 23, 2012 at 14:26So happy that I discovered your blog today. I'm one of those bloggers blessed with a garden of tomatoes right now. This looks like a great recipe to use of the just picked tomatoes. Your warm weather is just around the corner.
marilyn says
August 23, 2012 at 16:58this looks amazing even if tomatoes are not in season in your hemisphere. they're just starting to come in here, so when I get enough cherry tomatoes from my garden I'll have to make this bread. or I might just break down and run down to the farm stand today!
Guru Uru says
August 23, 2012 at 19:47Your bread looks utterly fantastic my friend, what a stunningly delicious idea 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez says
August 24, 2012 at 00:05Tomatoes are TOTALLY in season here right now…and I think that I NEED to make a loaf of this stunning bread! Seriously, I can't take my eyes off it…I just want to reach in and grab a fat slice. I hope you'll bring this by and share it with BYOB – Bake Your Own Bread this month, Paula! (http://www.girlichef.com/2012/08/byob-bakeyourownbread-august-12.html)
Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez says
August 24, 2012 at 09:49Thanks for bringing it over and adding it to the bread basket, Paula!
Baker Street says
August 24, 2012 at 08:44OH MY! I don't think there's a time that can define this bread. I would eat it for lunch and dinner too! Love the picture when its ready to go in! 🙂
Chic & Gorgeous Treats says
August 24, 2012 at 09:34Another yummy looking bread and I know it definitely is good. I have a huge weak spot for bread and with roasted tomato, that's just taking it up a notch. I love to read on how all of you enjoy your food, so that I don't feel alone thinking I am such a glutton. LOL..
Hannah says
August 24, 2012 at 10:10This bread looks so delicious, tomatoes are in season here and this looks like the perfect way to use some up!
Kathy says
August 24, 2012 at 13:12Oh wow, Paula! This bread looks fabulous!! Just in time for me…I have an abundance of tomatoes coming in right now!
Michelle K says
August 24, 2012 at 14:27My daughter would live on tomatoes and bread if I let her. Your recipe combines them both and looks just amazing, I cannot wait to make it for her. Thank you for sharing this with BYOB.
Tora Estep says
August 24, 2012 at 19:36This looks so fantastically delicious. Tomatoes are still abundantly in season too.
Deb says
August 24, 2012 at 22:18Tomato harvest here along the coast reaches full fury next month. I can't wait to try your recipe for Roasted Tomato Bread, it is just luscious!
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
August 25, 2012 at 07:01Paula, your Roasted Tomato Bread reminds me of the "thick pizza" that the Italian mother of one of my friends used to make, I loved eating it for breakfast (!). Simply wonderful and delcious.