ONION-TOMATO FOCACCIA

Onion-Tomato Focaccia image

Categories Bread Onion Tomato Side Bake Marinate

Yield makes a large round focaccia, serving 10 or more

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 packets active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups warm water or as needed
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for handling the dough
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil for the bread bowl
For the Topping
1 large onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced (about 2 cups slices)
2 cups ripe cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or as needed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Recommended Equipment
A food processor fitted with the metal blade
A shallow round baking dish or pizza pan, 14-to-16-inch diameter
A baking stone or pizza stone

Steps:

To make the dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water and let it sit for several minutes, until it begins to bubble. Put the flour and salt in the food-processor bowl.
Stir together the active yeast and 2 cups lukewarm water in a spouted measuring cup. With the processor running continuously, blend the flour and salt briefly, then pour in all the liquid through the feed tube and process for about 30 seconds. A soft, moist dough should gather on the blade, with some sticking to the sides of the bowl. If it's very sticky and hasn't come off the sides at all, incorporate more flour, a tablespoon or two at a time, to stiffen the dough and bring it together. If the dough is dry, process in more water in small amounts.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, scraping the bowl and blade clean. Knead by hand for a minute, using as little flour as possible, until the dough forms a smooth round, still soft and a bit sticky. Coat a big bowl with the tablespoon of olive oil, drop in the dough, and turn it to oil it all over. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.
While the dough is rising, toss together the sliced onion, cherry-tomato halves, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, and let them marinate.
Coat the baking dish or pan, bottom and sides, with 2 tablespoons or more olive oil. Deflate the risen dough, and lay it in the pan. Gently press and stretch it into an evenly flat round that fills the pan. If the dough is resistant, let it relax for a few minutes.
Lift the marinated onion and tomatoes out of the bowl with a slotted spoon, draining off the juices. Scatter the vegetables all over the focaccia, and lightly press in with your fingertips, creating dimples in the soft dough. Finally, drizzle the marinating oil over the top.
Let the focaccia rise, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Set a baking stone, if you have one, on a center oven rack and heat to 425˚. Just before baking, gently dimple the dough again with your fingertips, and sprinkle another 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt all over.
Bake the focaccia for about 20 minutes, rotate the pan back to front for even cooking, and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or even longer, until the bread is golden brown and the onion and tomatoes are nicely caramelized.
Remove the pan and top with remaining olive oil and crumbled oregano. Let the focaccia cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve it warm or at room temperature.