BASIL-PARMESAN FOCACCIA WITH FRESH TOMATOES

Basil-Parmesan Focaccia With Fresh Tomatoes image

Provided by Joanna Pruess

Categories pizza and calzones, appetizer

Time 2h35m

Yield Eight to 10 generous first-course servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 package rapid-rise or regular active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water between 105 and 115 degrees
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons coarse or kosher salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

Place the chopped onion in a bowl and pour boiling water over it. After 15 seconds, drain and blot dry with paper towels. Set aside.
Combine the yeast with the half-cup of water. Add one and a half cups of the flour and mix. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board and knead it for about eight minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Pour one tablespoon of the olive oil in a bowl, add the dough, turning once to cover with the oil. Drape a lightly dampened towel over the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk. This will take one and a half hours with rapid-rise yeast, or three hours with regular yeast.
Punch down the dough, add the onion, a quarter-cup of water, three tablespoons of olive oil, the cup of Parmesan cheese, the remaining flour, the basil and two teaspoons salt, and mix. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead it for eight minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic, adding small amounts of additional flour if needed.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roll the dough into a large circle measuring about 15 inches in diameter and about a quarter-inch thick, and transfer it to a heavy cookie sheet. Using your fingertips, make several indentations in the dough, so the surface is irregular. Brush with two tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle on two teaspoons of coarse salt. Bake in the top half of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown and crisp. (You may prepare the recipe ahead to this point, but leave the baked focaccia at room temperature.)
To prepare the topping, combine the olive oil, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Lay the sliced tomatoes in an overlapping pattern on the focaccia and spoon the olive-oil mixture over them. Return the focaccia to the oven for two minutes. Sprinkle with three tablespoons of Parmesan and return the focaccia to the oven just until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about one to two minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into large slices. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 358, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 34 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 12 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 352 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams