Puddica - Tomato and Garlic Bread

From issue #3.
Photography by Photography by Simon Devitt.
Puddica - Tomato and Garlic Bread

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

Sponge
1 cup plain flour plus 1 tablespoon
¼ cup semolina flour
1 tablespoon dried yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
pinch salt

Dough
About 3 ¼ cups plain flour
¼ cup semolina flour
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

Stuffing
500 grams very ripe fresh tomatoes, diced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
dried oregano

To bake
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
several pinches of dried oregano

METHOD

Sponge: Combine the flours in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Dissolve the yeast in the water and pour it into the well along with the salt. Use a wooden spoon to gradually incorporate the flour. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of flour.

Cover with a tea-towel and allow to double in size - about 1 hour. Signs that the sponge has doubled in size are the disappearance of the tablespoon of flour or the formation of large cracks on top.

Stuffing: Combine the tomatoes, add half the oil, season with salt, pepper and a few pinches of oregano. Do the same with the garlic in a separate bowl. Refrigerate both until needed.

Dough: When the sponge is ready, combine the two flours and tip onto the bench. Make a well. Place the sponge in the well and add the water, oil and salt. Incorporate all the ingredients, first using a spoon, then your hands. Knead in a folding motion, until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is elastic and smooth.

Generously grease a 30cm diameter, deep cake tin.

Roll the dough to the same size as the cake tin and place in the tin, spreading it out to fit. Cover in plastic wrap then a tea-towel and leave to rise for 30 minutes. With your index finger make pockets all over the
dough, filling them with the tomato mixture, including the juice and oil. Make more pockets and fill with the garlic and oil.

Drizzle the top with more oil and season with salt, pepper and oregano. Cover again as before and allow to double in size - about 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Bake for 40 minutes. Brush again with olive oil while hot and sprinkle with coarse salt if desired. Serves 12