Italian Tomato Bread Recipes

ITALIAN HERB TOMATO BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the egg, oil, and milk, followed by the grated cheese. The batter will be very thick.
• Combine the chopped garlic, tomatoes, basil, and oregano in a food processor. Using a series of 10-15 one-second pulses, chop the tomatoes and garlic until no large pieces remain, but mixture is not completely smooth.
• Fold the tomato and garlic mixture into the batter. Resulting batter will still be thick, but should be fully moist. If dry patches of flour remain, stir in an additional 2-3 tablespoons of milk. If batter is quite wet, stir in an additional 2-3 tablespoons of flour.
• Pour (scoop) the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 45-50 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
• Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy while still warm.

ITALIAN TOMATO & CHEESE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place bread halves, cut-sides up, on baking sheet.
• Mix oil, garlic and seasoning; drizzle over bread. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese.
• Bake 10 to 15 min. or until cheese is melted. Cut each bread half crosswise into 10 slices to serve.

ITALIAN TOMATO HERB BREAD

Steps:

• Heat tomato puree in microwave or on stovetop to 100º F-110ºF. Stir in yeast and sugar; allow to stand 5 minutes. Add onions.
• Combine 4 cups (white and whole wheat) flour, salt, Italian seasoning, basil, garlic powder, black pepper and celery seed in large mixing bowl. Beat in tomato mixture and melted butter. Stir in 1-3/4 cups flour; mix well with electric mixer.
• Knead 5 to 10 minutes on a floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl; cover and let rise about 40 minutes or until double.
• Punch down; divide the dough in half. Form each half into a round loaf and place in a greased 9-inch round cake pan, or place both loaves on a greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise about 40 minutes or until double. Brush surface with egg white.
• Bake at 350º F for 40 to 45 minutes. Enjoy!

ITALIAN STYLE TOMATO BREAD

Steps:

• Heat about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chile and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool a couple of minutes.
• Halve the bread across horizontally and toast or char.
• Halve the tomato across horizontally and rub the flesh vigorously into the toasted surface of the bread and season with salt, to taste. If you are garnishing with anchovies skip the salt. Dress the tomato bread with chile oil and garnish with capers, olives and anchovies, if using. Cut into serving portions and serve.

ITALIAN TOMATO PIE

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add olive oil and 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons water. Knead on low speed just until dough comes together, about 3 minutes. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Knead once more on low speed for 10 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Remove dough hook, cover top of mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (up to 24 hours).
• Meanwhile, for the sauce, add tomatoes to a food processor and roughly puree. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, shallot, oregano, and pepper flakes. Cook and stir until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pureed tomatoes and season with sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 45 minutes. Season with salt. Remove from heat, bring to room temperature, and refrigerate until dough has finished rising.
• Generously grease the inside of a 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Remove dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before baking. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a flat ball. Transfer ball to the greased baking sheet. Coat the ball on all sides with olive oil using your hands, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm spot for 1 hour. The dough should spread out . Carefully stretch and push the dough into the corners and edges of the pan. Cover loosely, and let rise for 1 hour longer.
• Adjust an oven rack to the upper middle position. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• When dough has risen, gently dock center with fingertips and use your hands to create a risen ridge about 1 inch wide around the edge.
• Spread dough generously with sauce, leaving the raised 1-inch edge without the sauce. Bake until edges are lightly browned and crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese, cut into slices, and serve.

ITALIAN BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Cut bread into 1/2-inch thick slices, then break up or cut up into 1/2-inch cubes. Place into large serving bowl.
• Wash and trim tomatoes, and cut in quarters. Squeeze juice from tomatoes over the bread; then, dice the tomatoes in 1/2-inch cubes and stir into bread.
• Scrub and trim cucumber, and slice thinly. Cut slices into match-sticks, and add to bowl.
• Finely mince onion, and add. Drizzle oil and vinegar over ingredients, and mix well to moisten bread and meld ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.