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1
Place the chopped onion in a bowl and pour boiling water over it.
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2
After 15 seconds, drain and blot dry with paper towels.
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3
Set aside.
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4
Combine the yeast with the half-cup of water.
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5
Add one and a half cups of the flour and mix.
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6
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board and knead it for about eight minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
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7
Pour one tablespoon of the olive oil in a bowl, add the dough, turning once to cover with the oil.
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8
Drape a lightly dampened towel over the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk.
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9
This will take one and a half hours with rapid-rise yeast, or three hours with regular yeast.
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10
Punch down the dough, add the onion, a quarter-cup of water, three tablespoons of olive oil, the cup of Parmesan cheese, the remaining flour, the basil and two teaspoons salt, and mix.
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11
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead it for eight minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic, adding small amounts of additional flour if needed.
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12
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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13
Roll the dough into a large circle measuring about 15 inches in diameter and about a quarter-inch thick, and transfer it to a heavy cookie sheet.
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14
Using your fingertips, make several indentations in the dough, so the surface is irregular.
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15
Brush with two tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle on two teaspoons of coarse salt.
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16
Bake in the top half of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown and crisp.
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17
(You may prepare the recipe ahead to this point, but leave the baked focaccia at room temperature.)
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18
To prepare the topping, combine the olive oil, garlic, basil, salt and pepper.
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19
Lay the sliced tomatoes in an overlapping pattern on the focaccia and spoon the olive-oil mixture over them.
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20
Return the focaccia to the oven for two minutes.
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21
Sprinkle with three tablespoons of Parmesan and return the focaccia to the oven just until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about one to two minutes.
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22
Remove from the oven and cut into large slices.
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23
Serve.
