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| FOCACCIA W/ TOMATO & BLACK OLIVE SPREAD | |||||
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| 4 cups bread
flour
1/2 cup warm water 2 teaspoons dry yeast 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 ounces pitted black olives 4 large garlic cloves 2 chopped chilies 2 tablespoons chopped basil 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 4 Romano tomatoes (ripe) 1/2 cup grated Romano Cheese Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Oil a 11 by 1-inch baking sheet. In a large bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons yeast into 1/2 cup warm water until the mixture is cloudy. Add 1 teaspoon sugar. Let the mixture stand about 10 minutes. Next add the basil and two of the chopped garlic cloves. Add the bread flour one cup at a time while mixing with bread hooks until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for about 3 minutes on a floured surface. Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto the prepared pan. Press the dough out to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Cover the dough with plastic and let the dough stand for about 15 minutes. Paint the top of the dough with olive oil using a pastry brush and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Bake the focaccia until the bread is golden and crisp, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack. Slice off the top so that you have two full sheets of equal thickness. Place the tomatoes, olives, peppers, remaining garlic and basil, and cilantro into a food processor. Process this while slowly adding olive oil to the mixture until it forms a thick paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture over the two sheets of focaccia (crust side down) covering them completely and evenly. Sprinkle the Romano cheese over them and place them on a baking sheet. Heat them under a broiler until the cheese melts. Cut into squares and serve. This dish has a very fresh taste of tomato and makes an excellent appetizer for a dinner party or with cheese and a good red wine for a brunch. Yield: about 18 pieces |
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