Roasted Tomato Focaccia with Chive Cream Cheese....

The flavors in this recipe are out of this world! The more fresh the ingredients you use, the better the taste! I enjoy getting my food from farmer's markets or local farmers to get what is in season and to learn more about the process of how the product is made or grown. Use garden fresh tomatoes for this recipe and you will wow your eaters!

Roasted Tomato Focaccia with Chive Cream Cheese

Focaccia dough as it is rising

Roasted Tomato Focaccia with Chive Cream Cheese

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: Four 6" rounds

Ingredients:

1 fresh yeast cube or 1 packet dry instant yeast (20-25g)

1 Tablespoon honey

1 1/3 cup warm water (300g)

4 Tablespoons olive oil (25 g), divided

3 ½ - 4 cups all purpose flour (500g)

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

4 cloves of garlic, minced

3 medium Roma tomatoes, cut in ¼” slices

4 ounces Chive Cream Cheese

Dash ground pepper

Directions:

Mix yeast, honey and warm water in a small bowl and let activate about 10 minutes (you want to see bubbles). 

Place flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a whole in your flour and pour in the wet mixture and add 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Mix little by little with a fork to form a ball and then begin to knead when it is too hard to stir with a fork. Knead for about 8-10 minutes adding flour only if sticking to your hands or the countertop. Once well mixed, place in a bowl that has been sprayed with oil and cover with a towel or loosely with saran wrap so that a crust does not form. Let rise for at least double in size (this time period depends on how warm your house is) (if it is cool, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a less than 100 degree (F) oven) (best if you place the bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge overnight (8-12 hours) and use the next day). 

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees (F). Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Cut the dough into 4 pieces and form each piece into a circular 6 inch disk. Place the dough on the sheet trays. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over the top of each round and sprinkle with the remaining salt and all of the crushed garlic. Cover lightly with saran wrap and allow it to rise and get to room temperature until about 1 ½-2 inches thick.

 Layer the slices of tomato (slightly overlapping) on top of the focaccia and sprinkle with black pepper. Place in a 500°F oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes or golden brown. Turn the oven to broil. Place small pieces of Chive Cream Cheese on top of the tomatoes and place under the broiler for 2 minutes (or until the cheese browns).

 Serve hot or cold.