Tomato and Olive Focaccia

Oh! If you love using kitchen staples as focaccia toppings, then you should try focaccia Barese and potato focaccia — delicious!

This focaccia with olives and tomatoes is also perfect for making sandwiches. Just cut them into slices, then cut each in half, and use them as two loaves to prepare your sandwich.

But we typically eat it on its own — oh wait, sometimes with a glass of wine. 🙂

It’s got both sweet and salty, from the cherry tomatoes and the black olives, and there’s also the contrast in texture, soft inside and crunchy outside.

All in all, every bite is a pleasure — simply delicious!

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Ingredients

• Flour – you only need all-purpose flour to prepare this olive and tomato focaccia recipe.

• Tomatoes – any variety of cherry tomatoes, as long as they are juicy and not too tangy.

• Olives – pitted black olives would be ideal.

• Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil, if possible.

• Yeast – I always use active dry yeast.

• Salt – just use your favorite brand.

How to make olive and tomato focaccia

Start by combining yeast with warm water, then set aside until ready.

Combine flour and salt in the stand-mixer bowl or any mixing bowl if you intend to knead it with your hands — mix.

Once the yeast is ready, pour it into the bowl with six tablespoons of olive oil.

Mix and knead until you get a smooth dough.

Form it into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl.

Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and set aside until it doubles in size (this typically takes me an hour and a half).

Drizzle a bit of oil in your baking pan and spread it with your hands — rubbing your hands with oil in the process.

Deflate the focaccia dough and transfer it to the pan.

Use your fingers to spread it into the shape of the baking pan (there is no need to reach the edges; it will happen automatically).

Cover again with the cloth and set aside until it becomes puffy; about thirty minutes.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (375°F).

Slice the tomatoes and olives into halves, then arrange them on the focaccia dough.

Brush the top with the remaining olive oil.

Place in the oven for twenty-five to thirty minutes — or until it becomes golden.

Transfer your olive and tomato focaccia to a rack and cool for at least ten minutes.

Slice and serve!

Helpful tips

• It’s not a sticky dough, so it’s easy to handle and prepare if you prefer to knead by hand.

• Remember to transfer your freshly baked focaccia into a rack as soon as it’s out of the oven — it helps to avoid getting soggy.

Recipe variation

• Green olives. If you prefer it over black olives, then go ahead and use it instead. The critical thing is that they pitted olives — no seeds.

• Sea salt on top. If you want extra saltiness on top, then a sprinkle of sea salt will do the trick.

So, give this olive and tomato focaccia recipe a try this weekend! I bet it will be gone in minutes! 

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