Crispy and tender bread, that is mildly salty with hints of olive oil paired with bursts of juicy sweetness from the tomatoes,this is a favorite Mediterranean food.
Course Appetizer, Bread, Snack
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword Bread, Flatbread, Focaccia
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Dough resting and rise time 2 hourshours50 minutesminutes
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.