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 ¼ 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 clean work surface lightly brushed with olive oil. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky—this is normal for focaccia, so resist the temptation to add additional flour. Knead for 8–10 minutes, using a bench scraper if needed, until the dough becomes smoother, elastic and easier to handle.

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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