Whole Wheat Focaccia with Tomatoes and Fontina

Focaccia, a little crisp on the bottom but soft on the top and inside, can take on many toppings besides tomatoes. Focaccia is a dimpled flatbread that can take a number of toppings, like a pizza but breadier. I used Community Grains whole wheat flour for this half-whole-wheat version, and I’m loving the results so much that I’m ready to start on a week’s worth of focaccia recipes with different toppings very soon. The bread is fragrant with olive oil, a little crisp on the bottom but soft on the top and the inside. It’s a great vehicle for summer tomatoes.

Ingredients

For the sponge

• 1 teaspoon/4 grams active dry yeast
• ½ cup/120 ml lukewarm water
• ¾ cup/90 grams unbleached all-purpose flour

For the dough

• 1 teaspoon/4 grams active dry yeast
• 1 cup/240 ml lukewarm water
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ¼ cups/155 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups/250 grams whole wheat flour or durum flour
• 1 ¾ teaspoons/12 grams fine sea salt

For the topping

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound/450 grams fresh ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 6 ounces/180 grams/3/4 cup grated or sliced fontina
• Coarse salt to taste (optional)
• Chopped, slivered or torn fresh basil leaves

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

    258 calories; 10 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 9 grams protein; 16 milligrams cholesterol; 505 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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1 large focaccia, serving 12 generously

Preparation

1. Make the sponge. Combine the yeast and water in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to dissolve. Whisk in the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until bubbly and doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
2. Make the dough. If using a stand mixer, whisk the yeast and the water in a small bowl and let stand until creamy, a few minutes. Add to the sponge in the mixer bowl, along with the olive oil. Add the flours and salt and mix with the paddle attachment for 1 to 2 minutes, until the ingredients are amalgamated. Change to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 8 minutes. The dough should come together and slap against the sides of the bowl. It will be slightly tacky. To make the dough by hand, combine yeast and water as directed and whisk into the sponge along with the olive oil. Whisk in the all-purpose flour. Add the salt and remaining flour, one cup at a time, folding it in with a spatula or a wooden spoon. When you can scrape the dough onto a work surface, add flour to the work surface, scrape out the dough and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and velvety. Return to the bowl (oil the bowl lightly with olive oil first).
3. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Shape the focaccia. Oil a 12-x 17-inch sheet pan (sides and bottom) with olive oil. Line with parchment and oil the parchment. Turn the dough onto the baking sheet. Oil or moisten your hands and press out dough until it just about covers the bottom of the pan. Dough may be sticky. Cover with a towel and let it relax for 10 minutes, then continue to press it out until it reaches the edges of the pan. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour, or until dough is full of air bubbles.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees after 30 minutes of rising (30 minutes before you wish to bake), preferably with a baking stone in it. With lightly oiled fingertips or with your knuckles, dimple the dough, pressing down hard enough to leave indentations. Drizzle on the olive oil for the topping and arrange cheese over the surface. Top cheese with the sliced tomatoes and sprinkle tomatoes with coarse sea salt if desired.
6. Place pan in oven on baking stone. Spray oven 3 times with water during the first 10 minutes of baking, and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until edges are crisp and the top is golden. If you wish, remove the focaccia from the pan and bake directly on the stone during the last 10 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and from pan and cool on a rack. Sprinkle basil over the top. If you want a softer focaccia, cover with a towel when you remove it from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature.

• Advance preparation: The dough can be made through Step 3 and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Punch it down, oil it lightly and seal in a plastic bag. Let it come to room temperature before proceeding with Step 4. Once baked, focaccia will keep for a day or two if you wrap it tightly so it doesn’t dry out.