vegetarian - tomatoes, yeast bread
t=teaspoon T=tablespoon + -=more or less
These recipes are for your personal use only and may not be added in any form to archives other works.
Fresh Tomatoes on Focaccia Base
Almost a pizza, just a generous layer of wonderful, thickly cut succulent tomatoes like the plum or Roma tomato - or whatever kind you have on hand. Best in summer when tomatoes are in their peak, just add a light sprinkling of herbs if you like. This is a great summer buffet addition that will really impress your guests with its delicious simplicity! Of course you can make this on a commercially purchased pizza base as well. It will be good...but not great. Give it a try once and make your own focaccia bread for the base. It is easy and your taste buds will tell you it was worth it! Click here for a photo.
makes 1 'pizza'
bake at 220 °
1/2 recipe focaccia bread (freeze the second half for later)
8 or 9 ripe plum tomatoes (about 6-8 using larger varieties)
1 T. olive oil
2 pinches of Herbes de Provence or other favourite savoury blend
salt, pepper
optional: 2 or 3 leaves of fresh basil cut into thin strips
Heat the oven to 220°C. Wipe the surface of a pizza pan or other baking surface with a little oil. Mix the olive oil with the dried herbs and set aside.
Shape the focaccia dough to a circle and roll out evenly to a thick circle. I toss/spin mine several times in the air and catch it between my hands before flattening it a little more to about 28-30 cm. The spinning has a centrifuge effect on the dough helping to stretch it evenly. If you are not so adventurous, then rolling it out will do!
Place on your prepared pan and lightly roll the edge inward just a little to form a narrow rim. This rim will eventually disappear, but it helps as a guide for laying the tomatoes. Paint the surface of the dough with the prepared oil and herb mixture.
Cut all the tomatoes thickly (+ - 1/2 cm.), discarding the very ends.
Starting from the outer edge, lay the tomatoes evenly so that they overlap slightly. Continue with the next row until the dough is covered. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over and grate a little pepper. Distribute the basil if using. If you have a little more of the oil left, use the brush to gently tap the surface of the tomatoes with the brush. If you have time, allow it to rise a little, about 10-15 minutes. This makes for a slightly thicker crust, but is not crucial. (I'm not always that patient.)
Place in the lower third of the hot oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Serve with a chilled rosé or light red wine, a mixed salad if you like and perhaps a side dish of spinach topped with hard cooked egg wedges, or green beans. Or like I did one hot summer day, serve a cold, non-tomato soup such as vichyssoise as a first course and then the Fresh Tomatoes on Focaccia with a side of green beans with chopped onion and a little savoury.
All recipes are excerpts from "Welcome to My Kitchen" - The Epicurean Table and are copyright of the author. Recipes are not to be added to any form of archive or other works of any kind. Contact the author for further information.
The Epicurean Table © 1999-2003 Patricia Conant
