Easy Focaccia Bread with Cherry Tomatoes
Freshly baked focaccia topped with juicy cherry tomatoes. Crispy and tender bread, with hints of olive oil and a touch of sea salt, paired with cherry tomatoes, this is a favorite Mediterranean food.
Focaccia, a favorite recipe of Italian cuisine, is a great example of the the simple yet satisfying essence of Mediterranean cuisine. Made from basic ingredients like flour, water, yeast, and olive oil, it has a soft yet chewy texture. Perfect on its own, but also good with toppings or accompanied with a few tomatoes and olives. There are many, many types of focaccia from different parts of Italy. Some are stuffed, some are sweet, and the variations are endless. Here we are making the classic focaccia, topped with some cherry tomatoes. You will get step by step instructions, and trust me it’s easy! And your house will smell so good.
Nutritionally, yes, it is bread, but the addition of olive oil makes it a great snack and a much healthier alternative other starchy snacks such as chips and crackers. It is consumed at all times of the day, even for breakfast in some parts of Italy.
Difference between Focaccia, Bread and Pizza Crust
Focaccia is considered a flat bread, it does not require as much kneading as regular bread, it contains olive oil, and it is baked at a higher temperature than bread.
Focaccia crust differs from pizza crust in that it contains more water than pizza. In addition, focaccia is baked at a lower temperature for a longer time.
Focaccia Ingredients
- Flour: Typically what is used is 00 flour, it is an Italian category of very fine flour that is also used for pizza, it has a bit less gluten in it as well. Having said that you can substitute for bread flour. Please note for baking it is better to weigh the ingredients rather than measuring them out in a cup.
- Olive Oil: Make sure you use the best extra virgin olive oil you have; this will make or break this recipe. It would be a shame to bake a beautiful textured focaccia only to be ruined by rancid or tasteless olive oil.
- Yeast: Try and use fresh yeast here, if you are unable to find it, active dry yeast will do but you have to use a smaller amount.
- Dry Oregano: You can use other herbs, but I find oregano pairs well with tomatoes
How to Make Focaccia Step by Step
- Dissolve the yeast in the water, stir. Add 3 tbsp of olive oil to the water-yeast mixture and stir.
- In a large bowl sift the flour, add the yeast-water mixture in the center and start mixing from the center until the water has been absorbed and you have a somewhat shaggy dough.
- Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle the salt over the dough and mix with a rubber spatula folding over.
- Place the dough on a floured surface and fold over several times until smooth. You can coat your fingers with some water or oil to prevent sticking.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, fold over and shape into a ball.
- Take a clean bowl and coat it with olive oil. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and let it rest for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- After it has risen, remove the dough from the bowl and place it in a greased pan. Punch the air out a bit with your fingers. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on it about 1 tbsp. Cover and let it rest for 40 more minutes.
- Now spread out the focaccia in your pan that is about 13 X 9 inches (23 X 33 cm)*, sinking in your fingers throughout the surface of the dough. Place the cherry tomato halves on the dough, slightly pushing them in. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and sprinkle some thick sea salt.
- Preheat the oven at 460 F (240 C)
- Place the pan at the lower level of the oven and bake for 10 minutes and then place in the middle position and bale for 10 more minutes until golden.
How to Store Focaccia
Focaccia is best enjoyed warm out of the oven. You can store it in a zip lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Re-heat in the oven before serving or consuming.
You can freeze focaccia, by placing it zip lock bags for up to 2-3 months. Defrost at room temperature and reheat before serving.
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Easy Focaccia Bread with Cherry Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz (2 cups) water at 100 degrees F (38 C) 100 F
- 5 grams fresh yeast or 2 g active dry yeast (about ⅔ tsp)
- 5 cups (600 g) type 00 flour
or white bread flour - Coarse sea salt
- 2 tsp dry oregano
- 3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
- 15 Cherry tomatoes sliced in half
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast in the water, stir. Add 3 tbsp of olive oil to the water-yeast mixture and stir.
- In a large bowl sift the flour, add the yeast-water mixture in the center and start mixing from the center until the water has been absorbed and you have a somewhat shaggy dough.
1st Dough Rest
- Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Uncover, sprinkle the salt over the dough and mix with a rubber spatula folding over.
- Place the dough on a floured surface and fold over several times until smooth. You can coat your fingers with some water or oil to prevent sticking.
2nd Dough Rest
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, fold over and shape into a ball.
1st Dough Rise
- Take a clean bowl and coat it with olive oil. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and let it rest for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
2nd Dough Rise
- After it has risen, remove the dough from the bowl and place it in a greased pan (9 X 13 inches or 23X33 cm). Punch the air out a bit with your fingers. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on it about 1 tbsp. Cover and let it rest for 40 more minutes.
- Now spread out the focaccia in your pan, sinking in your fingers throughout the surface of the dough. Place the cherry tomato halves on the dough, slightly pushing them in. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and sprinkle some thick sea salt and oregano.
- Preheat the oven at 460 F (240 C) and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
Bake
- Place the pan at the lower level of the oven and bake for 10 minutes and then place in the middle position and bale for 10 more minutes until golden.
Absolutely excellent receipt !
Thank you Elena
Sounds delicious! Do you need to oil the baking pan/sheet? Or maybe use parchment?
Thanks!
Thanks! Yes, it is greased as noted in the instructions.