Vegan and Gluten-Free Tomato and Garlic Foccacia

I was in the mood to bake but I didn’t want anything sweet. My savory side always wins. I made a foccacia with tomatoes, garlic and herbs. If you have never had foccacia, it’s a thick bread that is similar to Sicilian pizza. It can be made plain or it can have other ingredients stuffed inside and on top. When you add the other ingredients, it can turn a bread into a meal.

The first time I made foccacia, I made it with my own blend of flours. I used 1 cup brown rice flour, 2/3 cup buckwheat flour, 1/3 cup teff flour and 3/4 cup potato starch. It was very hearty from all these whole grains and ancient grains and it had a dark appearance. I added garlic and olives and it was really good.

This time, I wanted the dough to have a more neutral taste so I used all-purpose gluten-free flour.

In the dough, I added garlic, thyme and oregano. Then I stuffed small slices of Roma tomatoes on top of and into the dough. When you push the ingredients into the dough, push it to different levels so you get some in every bite. You can make it like I did, with just tomatoes, or you can add small pieces of mushrooms, chopped broccoli or vegan sausage. Pretty much, anything you like on your pizza can go into the foccacia. Just avoid really wet ingredients because you don’t want to add lots of moisture to the dough.

Making the foccacia is similar to making pizza but without the rolling and flipping. Just make the dough, shape it into a pan, let it rise, add your toppings and bake. That’s it. The hardest part of making it was learning to spell foccacia.

When the tomatoes, garlic and herbs combine, this bread tastes like a rustic pizza. Enjoy!

Vegan and Gluten-Free Tomato and Garlic Foccacia

GF, SF

Cooking spray

2 Tbs. flaxseed + 6 Tbs. warm water

1 package dry active yeast

2 cups warm water

2 tsp. + 1 Tbs. sugar, divided

2 3/4 cup gluten-free, all-purpose flour

1 tsp. xanthan gum or guar gum

1 Tbs. sugar

1 ½ tsp. Kosher salt + more for garnish

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. vinegar

4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 large Roma tomatoes, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs. fresh oregano, chopped

1 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped

Spray some oil on a 9 x 13 baking sheet. Cover with parchment paper and spray the top with more cooking spray. Dust the pan with some flour and set aside.

In a mug or small bowl, combine the flaxseed with one cup of warm water. Mix and let stand for 10 minutes until it is a thick gel. In a 2-cup mixing cup, combine 2 cups warm water with the yeast. Add 2 tsp. of sugar to feed the yeast. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes until it gets thick and frothy.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, xanthan gum, the remaining Tbs. of sugar, salt, garlic powder and thyme. Mix them well. To the dry ingredients add the flax gel, vinegar, oil and the yeast mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon until you have a thick batter.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Transfer the batter to the baking sheet, spreading it evenly with a flat spatula. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and then a damp cloth. Set the pan in a warm place (I put mine on top of the stove) and let the dough rise for 1 hour. The dough should puff up and almost double in size.

When the dough has risen, brush the top with some oil. Press the tomato slices into the dough at various depths – you want to see tomatoes towards the middle when you cut the bread. Sprinkle garlic, coarse salt and fresh herbs over the top.

Bake the dough for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. Using the parchment paper, lift the bread out of the pan and put it on a metal rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

The “V” Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.

Print Gluten-Free Tomato and Garlic Foccacia Author: Rhea Parsons Recipe type: Baking Cuisine: Italian   Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 Tbs. flaxseed + 6 Tbs. warm water
• 1 package dry active yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tsp. + 1 Tbs. sugar, divided
• 2¾ cup gluten-free, all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum or guar gum
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1 ½ tsp. Kosher salt + more for garnish
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

1. Spray some oil on a 9x13 baking sheet. Cover with parchment paper and spray the top with more cooking spray. Dust the pan with some flour and set aside.
2. In a mug or small bowl, combine the flaxseed with one cup of warm water. Mix and let stand for 10 minutes until it is a thick gel. In a 2-cup mixing cup, combine 2 cups warm water with the yeast. Add 2 tsp. of sugar to feed the yeast. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes until it gets thick and frothy.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, xanthan gum, the remaining Tbs. of sugar, salt, garlic powder and thyme. Mix them well. To the dry ingredients add the flax gel, vinegar, oil and the yeast mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon until you have a thick batter.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Transfer the batter to the baking sheet, spreading it evenly with a flat spatula. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and then a damp cloth. Set the pan in a warm place (I put mine on top of the stove) and let the dough rise for 1 hour. The dough should puff up and almost double in size.
5. When the dough has risen, brush the top with some oil. Press the tomato slices into the dough at various depths – you want to see tomatoes towards the middle when you cut the bread. Sprinkle garlic, coarse salt and fresh herbs over the top.
6. Bake the dough for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. Using the parchment paper, lift the bread out of the pan and put it on a metal rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

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