I see that I’ve overstayed my welcome. It’s uncomfortable for everyone now.
Someone told me a long time ago, “It’s best to leave wanting more.” Now, I couldn’t want less. Completely over and out. Caput. Engines stalled. Brakes cut. Flat lined. Stone cold. Dead as a door nail (as though door nails were once alive, vivacious beings.) Deceased. Expired. I could beat a dead horse, but at this point – I am the horse. Also, I’m not into animal cruelty.
If the cat has nine lives this feline just hit 10. Rat on a wheel, with a wrench in the wood chips. Ceased spinning. Dynamically kinetic energy diffusely, rambunctiously stopped. Permanently closed. Shaped up and shipped way the F* out. Wish I had a ship. Or even just a friend with a boat.
Uninterested and aberrantly checked out. Catch my drift? Gone with the wind. Flitted, wafted, way off the belletristic cliff, metaphorically speaking. Literarily pondering. Physically paining. Literally lifeless, bloodless, zestless.
The feeling is uneasy. Unwanted. Unwavering.
There are only two things that can make it right. And one of them is copious amounts of gluten. (In case you’re wondering, so is the other;)
Takes 7-8 hrs depending on your amount of patience; Feeds all the carb lovers in your home
Ingredients for Tomato Basil Focaccia
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups hot water
- 1 package instant yeast
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 3 tsp fine salt (yes, I actually, really measured, for real)
- Cherry tomatoes on the vine (about 40 tomatoes, ish)
- Lots of basil leaves
- Maldon sea salt
- Lots of good olive oil
- 1 tbsp salted butter
Method
Mix the yeast in the hot water along with sugar and let bloom/stand for 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl add flour and salt and mix together.
Add the yeast slurry slowly to the dry ingredients with one hand while mixing with the other. Once all the liquid is in you may need to tweak the flour to water ratio by a tbsp or so. This mixture will be super sticky. Knead it for about a minute, to ensure all the dry flour is incorporated.
In a new clean, large bowl, add about 2 tbsp olive oil and swirl it all over the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Add the dough into it and put a small amount of oil on the top of the dough too. This is so it doesn’t stick to the clean kitchen towel you are about to cover it with.
Place the bowl in a warm place for 4 hours.
If you have a ceramic baking dish or large lipped stainless pan, I find these work really well. Grease the bottom and sides with another 3 tbsp oil and the butter.
Punch the dough. You will feel instantly better. Fold it in on itself about 20 times.
Drop dough in the cooking vessel. Cover with the towel and let it sit another 2 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat a convection oven to 375F. Uncover the dough and make sure it is spread out evenly in the pan. Dimple the top with your fingers. Add the tomatoes to the top and drizzle with more oil. Sprinkle on some Maldon.
Bake for 12 min. Then turn the heat up to 400F. Bake another 12-14 min until golden, dimply and delicious.
This delight is best eaten warm and smothered in butter or dipped in herb oil or as the sandwich for a bacon basil caprese or…well you get my point. Snacking or dining. Breakfasting or late night munchies…what a versatile carb. What goes well with carbs? I’m so glad you asked:
- How about Classic Beef Stew?
- Need something lighter? Ok try my Grilled Strawberry Steak Salad with Burrata…
- ORrrrr perhaps you are needing to dunk in various dips? I got you covered with gorgeous Greek Eggplant Dip (Melizanosalata).
- You could really get fancy and make my Grilled Cheese with Pesto and Tomatoes with this as the bread-ie vessel.
Happy eating.
