Tomato and Olive Focaccia

Focaccia. A bread that is crispy on the outside and soft and airy on the inside, that is what we call focaccia. When the weather starts to get crisp and cool, you feel like turning on the oven and baking. Focaccia, that’s what you should bake now to get cozy while a smell of fresh bread fills the whole house.

Focaccia is a classic Italian flatbread baked in the oven whose ingredients are flour, yeast, water and EVOO. The result is a soft and chewy bread that in this case is flavored with pungent red onions, briny black olives and sweet cherry tomatoes. The salty olives, fresh tomatoes, and onions lightly charred, along with the flavor of a salty focaccia, make every bite worthwhile and you’ll never buy store-bought focaccia again.

Why you will love this recipe

– It’s easy and inexpensive to make, and you can use almost any ingredients you have in your pantry.

– Focaccia is great as a snack for your kids or for an appetizer along with some good olive oil.

– This recipe is vegan and dairy-free.

Tomato and Olive Focaccia ingredients and variations

Flour: I use all-purpose flour as I think it gives the best result in terms of consistency without making the focaccia too tough. If you prefer a chewier consistency, you can use bread flour, swapping it out at a 1:1 ratio. Another healthier option would be whole wheat flour if you prefer a less processed flour.

Yeast: Fresh yeast is best. Since it’s not always easy to find, I use dry yeast. 2 and a half teaspoons are enough to make the focaccia rise without leaving the typical yeast smell. So I recommend sticking exactly to the dose given in the recipe.

Salt: You need salt to give the dough the right seasoning, and you need sea salt flakes to sprinkle on top before baking the focaccia. The best salt is either a Sicilian salt, if you can find it or Maldon salt.

EVOO: I recommend you to use high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Be generous with it, as it will help the focaccia retain its moisture and retain its characteristic flavor. Since I’m Italian, I am very conscious about choosing my extra virgin olive oil.  These are some of my favorite brands: Colavita,  Bertolli, Monini and O.Live & CO.

Water: You can use mineral water at a lukewarm temperature, which means a temperature between 98 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit or 36.5 to 40.5 Celsius. You will need some of it to ferment the yeast and use the rest to make the dough.

Sugar: You need it to ferment the yeast, any sugar will do. You can also use honey if you like, but if you are vegan, you should stick to sugar.

Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are at the end of their season, so take the opportunity to use them for this easy summer-autumn recipe.

Onions: They add a nice flavor to the recipe, but you can leave them out if it’s too strong for you.

Black olives: Olives add a briny flavor to the recipe. Choose pitted olives. Replace them with green ones for a less strong and salty taste.

Oregano: In Italy we use herbs a lot to give more flavor to our recipes. In this case the oregano will add an herbaceous touch without overpowering the dish.

For variations, you can use different herbs such as thyme, sage, oregano, basil or different toppings, such as homemade pesto, mozzarella, peppers, zucchini or anything you can think of.

How to make Tomato and Olive Focaccia

FERMENT THE YEAST: Gather all the ingredients and start fermenting the yeast. Put the yeast in a bowl, add all the sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it bubbles. If it does not activate, throw it away and start the process again.

KNEAD IT AND RISE IT: Combine the flour and salt in a bowl or food processor. Add the oil, yeast mixture, and salt and begin incorporating ¾ cup of water. Stir until all the ingredients are combined and then add the remaining water. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth or until the imprint springs back immediately with your fingers. Take a clean bowl, rub it with EVOO, roll the dough in it to coat it with oil, then cut a shallow cross on the top with a sharp knife. This will help it rise. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.

TIP: You can also let it rise in a warm, air-free place for 90 minutes until it doubles in size. I prefer the first method, as a slow rise time makes the focaccia easier to digest.

RISE IT FOR THE SECOND TIME: After this time, let the air out of the dough and place it in a baking dish. Cover it with oil. Pat it on top and place it in a plastic bag to let it rise for a second. I let the dough rise outside the refrigerator for 2 hours.

TOP IT AND BAKE IT: After this time, make again some impression with your fingers. Lay the dough on a 13×8 inch baking dish. Brush the surface of the dough with 1 tbsp EVOO, water and sprinkle the salt on top . Add the tomatoes, the onions, the pitted black olives. Bake it at 430° F (220° C) for 20-25 minutes. Transfer it on a cooling rack and enjoy it.

This recipe yields 9 portions.

TIP: which baking dish to use? I used for this focaccia a 13×8 inch baking dish, which is a sort of lasagna dish. This is why the focaccia came out high and thick, If you prefer thinner focaccia, use a baking tray, of a few inches bigger, so you will have more space to spread out the dough.

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What to serve with Focaccia?

Focaccia can be enjoyed as a snack, during an aperitif, to enrich your breadbasket. You can also use it for sandwiches or croutons to garnish salads.

Serve it with a salad, such as Little Green Italian Salad or Spring Salad. Or serve it with a soup, for example a butternut squash soup.

How to store Focaccia

You can store your focaccia in an airtight container for 2/3 days. I recommend eating your foaccia fresh and not freezing it as the flavor will not be the same.