Tomato and Olive Focaccia

Tomato and Olive Focaccia is a fragrant focaccia topped with briny black olives, sweet cherry tomatoes, pungent red onions and a touch of aromatic oregano. Ideal as a snack, with a soup, a salad or just as bread.

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Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 25

Inactive time: Dough Raising time: 10

Total Time: 10 50

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Focaccia, Focaccia Bread, Italian Bread Recipes, Snack, Tomato and Onion Focaccia

Difficulty: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 287kcal

Ingredients

3½ cup flour all-purpose
5 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sea salt flakes
2¼ tsp yeast active-dry
1 1/4 cup water (see notes)
2 tsp sugar (see notes)
½ cup red onion chopped
¼ pound black olives pitted
2 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
2 tsp oregano

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TO ACTIVATE THE YEAST

Gather all the ingredients and start fermenting the yeast. Put 2¼ teaspoon of yeast in a bowl, add some sugar and ¼ 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.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl or food processor. Add the oil, yeast mixture, and salt and begin incorporating ¾ of the water. Stir until all the ingredients are combined and then add the remaining water. Mix all together.
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.

TO MAKE IT RISE THE FIRST TIME

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.

TO MAKE IT RISE 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.

BAKING

After this time, make again some impression with your fingers. Lay the dough on a 13x8 inch baking dish (see notes). 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 and the oregano on top.
Bake it at 430° F (220° C) for 20-25 minutes. Transfer it on a cooling rack and enjoy it.

Notes

For the water you will need to make sure is lukewarm, which means between 98 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit or36.5 to 40.5 Celsius,
I prefer to raise the dough slowly in the refrigerator. Another option is to make it rise outside in a draught-free spot for 90 minutes. Slower rise means easier digestion.
You can use sugar or honey, instead of agave syrup. In this case use 1 full teaspoon.
I used for this focaccia a 13x8 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.

Nutrition

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