This focaccia with tomatoes is the ultimate comfort food! It's perfectly soft and chewy, and it’s topped with juicy fresh tomatoes, crunchy flaky sea salt, and fruity olive oil. And best of all, it's so easy that you can make it in 1 BOWL.Recipe yields 4 generous servings, if you bake it in a round pan (or 6 servings if you use a larger baking tray).
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Resting time1 hourhr10 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr40 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Bread
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Focaccia with Tomatoes
Servings: 4
Author: Katia
Ingredients
2 cups(250 grams)unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 ½teaspoondry instant yeast (or Active dry yeast, see notes)
¾teaspoonfine salt
¾ cup + 1 Tbsp(200 ml)lukewarm water
2 tablespoon(30 ml)extra virgin olive oil
Focaccia Topping
2tablespoonolive oil, plus more for drizzling (optional)
2tablespoonwater
¼teaspoonfine salt
1 cupcherry tomatoes, cut into halves (12 tomatoes)
½teaspoonoregano
½teaspoonsea salt flakes
Instructions
For the dough, place the flour in a large bowl and follow this focaccia recipe from point 1 to 10 included. The dough recipe is the same, but here I used a round baking pan (10 inch/26 cm diameter) and I changed baking time and the amount of brine accordingly.
Preheat the oven to 430°F/220°C and place the rack close to heating element at the bottom of the oven. But you know your oven, so chose the position that makes the focaccia bottom crispy.
Arrange the cherry tomatoes evenly across the top, pushing them slightly into the dough. Scatter with flaky sea salt and oregano.
Bake for 20-22 minutes (or if you bake focaccia in larger baking tray it's fine baking at 400°F/200°C for 20-25 minutes). Focaccia is ready when golden and crispy, trust your judgement.
Let it cool for 10 before slicing and serving, finish with an extra drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (optional, but delicious). Enjoy!
Notes
Flour:all-purpose flour is perfect for focaccia bread, but you can use also bread flour.Brine: if you use a larger pan (for example 9 x 13 inches) you need double the brine.Fresh herbs: it's better if you mix them into the dough itself rather than sprinkling them on top since they might burn or get too dry and crispy in the oven.Storage: focaccia is best the day it is made but can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 1 day. It freezes very well.Measurements:I use both US cups and grams. The cups of flour are leveled: fill the measuring cup all the way to the top letting the flour flow over a little. Then, use the back of a knife to level the top off.Yeast: Active dry yeast and instant yeast can be used interchangeably in this recipe. However, Active dry yeast needs to be activated in water and let it sit until slightly foamy before adding to the flour (follow the manufacturer’s instructions). Also, you might need to extend the proofing time if needed.Water absorption: water absorption is the amount of water taken up by flour and may vary significantly depending on the type of flour, brand, and weather conditions. When you add water to the flour, start with the amount stated in the recipe. If the liquid is not enough to achieve that dough consistency as shown in the pictures above, just add gradually a little extra water until the flour has been incorporated.Warm oven method:preheating the oven at low temperatures creates a warm environment for the dough to rise in faster. This shortcut works great when you’re in a hurry.Speedy method for focaccia with tomatoes ready in 1 hour? This is the method I use for a speedy rise in this focaccia recipe!