I made my first focaccia bread! I am very proud of myself and can’t believe how easy it was. I was convinced that it was hard to make which is why I haven’t done it in the past. Turns out it’s harder to spell focaccia than to make it! And it was so tasty.

I decided to alter the recipe and make it for a Meatless Monday meal, although, it could just as easily fit into the Friday Night Pizza category. It was great timing on my part. Eric usually cooks dinner but the night I chose to make it, he ended up working super late. Or did he work super late BECAUSE I was cooking dinner? No matter. It came out great and I have a new basis for experimentation in the kitchen. A definite win-win!

Grape Tomato & Arugula Focaccia (adapted from familycircle.com)

Makes: 8  servings

Ingredients

• 16 ounces pizza dough
  

  Lots of flavor goes into this dish!

• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound grape tomatoes (about 2 dry pints), halved
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced into ribbons or 2 teaspoons dried basil

Directions

For the pizza dough: You can certainly use frozen dough that is thawed. If you have a bread maker and want to make the dough:

• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

 

Put all the ingredients in the bread maker in the order required by your machine and chose the dough setting.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Roll and stretch the dough into a large rimmed baking sheet, at least 15 x 10 x 1 inches. Sprinkle the dough with the Parmesan cheese and bake at 425° for 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove it from the oven and set it aside.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°.

While the dough is baking, toss together the tomatoes, shallot, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Spread the tomatoes in an even layer on another rimmed baking sheet and roast them at 325° for 30 minutes, after the dough is done.

Remove the  tomatoes from the oven and gently stir in the washed arugula. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella over the baked dough. If you are using the dried basil, sprinkle it on next then scatter the tomato mixture over top using a slotted spoon. (Fresh basil comes a bit later!)

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top of the tomatoes and bake it at 325° for 15 minutes.

Cool on wire rack 5 minutes. If you are using the fresh basil sprinkle it on before serving.

Get creative with something new!  ~Linda

Grape Tomato & Arugula Focaccia (adapted from familycircle.com)

Makes: 8  servings

Ingredients

• 16 ounces pizza dough
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound grape tomatoes (about 2 dry pints), halved
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced into ribbons or 2 teaspoons dried basil

Directions

For the pizza dough: You can certainly use frozen dough that is thawed. If you have a bread maker and want to make the dough:

• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Put all the ingredients in the bread maker in the order required by your machine and chose the dough setting.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Roll and stretch the dough into a large rimmed baking sheet, at least 15 x 10 x 1 inches. Sprinkle the dough with the Parmesan cheese and bake at 425° for 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove it from the oven and set it aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°.

While the dough is baking, toss together the tomatoes, shallot, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Spread the tomatoes in an even layer on another rimmed baking sheet and roast them at 325° for 30 minutes, after the dough is done.

Remove the  tomatoes from the oven and gently stir in the washed arugula. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella over the baked dough. If you are using the dried basil, sprinkle it on next then scatter the tomato mixture over top using a slotted spoon. (Fresh basil comes a bit later!)

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top of the tomatoes and bake it at 325° for 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes. If you are using the fresh basil sprinkle it on before serving.