Focaccia Caprese #BreadBakers

I enjoyed baking this Focaccia Caprese bread, when I finish baking felt as though it was a 'pizza'  minus the sauce.
Focaccia Caprese….Caprese is a salad made by using Tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella cheese. Hence, a Focaccia Caprese is nothing but a basic Focaccia dough topped Caprese salad

Ingredients
For the Dough
1.1/2 Teaspoon Instant yeast
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2.1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1-1/4 Cups Warm water - more or less
A little more olive oil for brushing dough

For the Caprese Topping
6 Tomatoes - sliced
6 Round Slices Fresh Mozzarella
Few Fresh Basil leaves

For the Herbed Oil 
1/4 Cup Olive oil
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
1/4 Teaspoon  Chilli flakes
4 Cloves Garlic-  finely minced
A pinch of Salt 

Method
To make the herbed Oil

Make the herbed oil in advance so that the oil absorbs all the flavors. Tip in all the ingredients into a small bottle and shake it well. Keep aside till required.

To Make the dough
Place  in the yeast, sugar, flour, salt and oil into the bowl of the food processor and give a pulse it so that all ingredients mix well. Gradually add about a cup of warm water  and knead until you have a soft elastic dough  The quantity of water varies from flour to flour, so add more water  if required to knead the dough.

Remove the dough from the processor bowl, take it on to the work surface and knead it again till you get a smooth and soft dough.   Then shape it into a ball  and place it in a well oiled bowl turning the dough around so that it is coated with oil. Cover it using a damp cloth or cling film and let it rise till it doubles in volume.

Take two to three  rectangular or square pans depending on the size of the pan and oil them well. Punch down the dough and then divide it into equal portions and lightly roll them (or press out) out on a lightly floured surface  according to the size of the pan.

Transfer the rolled dough gently to the baking pans. The dough will shrink a little. Using your fingers push  the dough  from the center towards the edges. Make sure it’s evenly thick throughout the pan.  Keep  it rise again for 20 to 25 minutes. Lightly oil your finger tips and press into the dough creating evenly spaced ‘dimples’ in it. Finally brush the surface with a generous amount of herbed oil or olive oil .

Bake at 200 degrees C for about 15 to 17 minutes till it is almost done and is beginning to turn golden brown.

Once the Focaccia is removed from the oven, lightly brush or drizzle some of the ‘Herbed Oil’ over the Focaccia and then evenly arrange the slices of mozzarella over the bread, leaving very little space between them (this ensures that the cheese spreads out leaving no spaces on melting). Arrange the tomato slices over the cheese slices and place the basil leaves over this.  Ensure that the topping should cover most of the surface of the bread so that every piece gets the cheese and tomato.

Drizzle some more ‘Herbed Oil’ over the topping and return the bread to the oven. Turn  the oven to 220 C. Bake the Focaccia for 5  minutes or until the cheese has just melted (note : the mozzarella once melted, browns fast). Remove from the oven.

Cut the Focaccia into slices or wedges and serve immediately while it is still hot.  We had it  with a bowl of soup. 

While enjoying this bread my daughter said Ma! this it ultimate goodness.

My Notes:

I make a cup of the Herbed  oil and store it in the refrigerator, use it to make herbed mayonaise or even brush this on crusty breads for soup.

I have used a food processor to knead the dough, you can knead the same by hand , take a look at my previous bread post that are kneaded by hand.

 Labels: Breads, Focaccia, Caprese, Bread Bakers, Italy, Cheese 

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Our host for this month is Anshie Dhar, who choose the theme "Breads from Italy". Thank you Anshie for hosting this month's event.
If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com

Check out the other bread from Italy our other bakers have baked :- 
Casatiello by A Shaggy Dough Story
Ciabatta Sandwich Rolls by Herbivore Cucina
Classic Italian Bread by Hostess At Heart
Cornetti by Gayathri’s Cook Spot
Einkorn Parmesan Piadina by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Fingermillet and Rosemary Focaccia by Sizzling Tastebuds
Focaccia Caprese by Sneha’s Recipe
Grissini by Sara’s Tasty Buds
Gubana – An Italian Sweet Bread by The Schizo Chef
Il Pane di Matera by Food Lust People Love
Italian BLT Focaccia by A Salad For All Seasons
Italian Easter Bread by Palatable Pastime
Italian Easter Cheese Bread by A Baker’s House
Italian Herb and Garlic Focaccia by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Italian Stuffed Pane Bianco by Cook’s Hideout
Mini Panettone by Mayuri’s Jikoni
Pane Bianco by Veenas Vegnation
Pane di Genzano by Spiceroots
Piadina by Passion Kneaded
Pizza alla Siciliana by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Rosemary and Cabernet Salt Focaccia by What Smells So Good?
Torta Salata Pasquale by A day in the Life on the Farm
Tuscan Coffeecake by Ambrosia