Vegetarian Recipes Tested from Kara's Kitchen

Plum-Tomato Focaccia

This rustic Italian bread has a thick crisp crust and a dense moist texture. It’s perfect for serving at table and makes beautiful sandwiches, toast, and bruschetta. Makes 2 loaves.

Starter:

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 F)

3 packages active dry yeast

2 cups unsifted bread flour

Dough:

3 ½ to 4 cups unsifted bread flour

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 F)

1 tablespoon cornmeal

1 ripe plum tomato, cut into 4 slices

4 small fresh rosemary sprigs

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Prepare Starter: Place warm water in a small bowl; sprinkle yeast over top and stir to dissolve. Let mixture stand until foamy - about 5 minutes. Beat in flour until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size - about 2 hours.

Prepare Dough: In a large bowl, mix together 3 ½ cups flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add warm water in small batches, working each addition until all the water has been absorbed and a stick dough forms. Work the starter into the dough: it will become very sticky.

Turn dough out onto floured work surface and vigorously knead, using remaining ½ cup flour if necessary, until elastic and smooth - 15 to 20 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.

Clean and oil large bowl. Place dough in oiled bowl and turn it, coating the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size - about 45 minutes.

Coat a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray; sprinkle with the cornmeal. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a round. Place rounds on prepared baking sheet, spaced about 5 inches apart. Cover; let rise in a warm place 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, position one oven rack in the bottom of the oven and position the second rack in the middle. Place a deep roasting pan filled with 2 inches of water in the center of the bottom rack.

Heat oven to 375 F.

When the dough has risen, slash a diamond in the center of each loaf, using a serrated knife. Cut each tomato slice in half. Arrange the tomato wedges around the diamond shape and place two sprigs of rosemary in the center of each loaf. Place the sheet pan on the middle oven rack directly over the roasting pan. The resulting steam will ensure a crisp crust.

I like to spray mist with water every ten minutes around oven wall to assure more mist and harder crust!! I also like to bake my bread on stone! If you are using a stone in your oven, pre-heat one hour ahead so that stone is extra hot!!