Kelly the Culinarian: Stand-mixer Sunday: Tomato bread

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Stand-mixer Sunday: Tomato bread

According to my sister, this is the best thing invented since ... sliced bread. As soon as I walked in the door today, my mother said I had to do something about my tomato plant, it was threatening to take over the yard. There were at least 30 ripe tomatoes on my sweet 100 bush since I last looked at it on Friday morning. Love this time of year!

As a result, I decided to make a tomato flat focaccia. It was turned out sweet like a dessert because of the tiny tomatoes but savory like a pizza. Here's how it's done.


Start with a basic focaccia:

2 and 3/4 cups flour

3/8 teaspoon yeast

2 cups minus two Tablespoons warm, filtered water

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon sugar


Mix all of the dry ingredients together on low with the flat paddle attachment of the stand mixer. Add the water slowly, allowing time to incorporate, then kick up the speed to medium and let it go for three to five minutes. Assess if it may need more flour or water to create a loose, sticky, more liquid dough.

Once the correct texture is achieved, pour into a greased bowl and set aside to rise in a warm place for three to four hours or until doubled.

Next, take out a half-sheet pan and coat with about a Tablespoon of olive oil, the cheap stuff is fine. Pour out the dough onto the sheet. Grease your fingers with some olive oil and try to stretch it out to the edges of the pan. Then let it sit for 10 minutes to rest and try again to reach the dough to the edges. Set aside to rise again for one hour or until doubled.

Until then, gather the toppings:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic salt

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon pizza spice

1 Tablespoon olive oil

30 sweet 100 tomatoes, cut into halves or thirds

Bring out the risen dough and coat with the remaining olive oil, using your fingertips to create dimples in the dough. Crush the herbs with your fingers and sprinkle on the dough, the press the little pieces of tomato into the dough. Please the whole thing in a 450-degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until it's cooked and brown on the top.

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