Focaccia Bread with Cherry tomatoes and Basil

This homemade focaccia bread is light, flavorful, and beautifully topped with juicy cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. It’s perfect for dipping, snacking, or serving alongside a hearty meal. If you’ve never made focaccia before, don’t worry—this rustic bread is easier than you think!

Course Breads

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bread,, easy bread,

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

rising time: 2

Total Time 2 50

Servings people

Calories 254kcal

Author laura

Ingredients

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup warm water 110°F plus 1/4 cup extra for brushing
3 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons olive oil for the dough plus 1/4 cup extra for brushing
20 Cherry tomatoes (Approximately 20) smashed
Coarse sea salt or flaked sea salt for sprinkling
Fresh Basil leaves cut or torn
Parmigiano Reggiano grated to your preference Parmesan
3 garlic cloves smashed

Instructions

Preparing the Sponge

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water (no hotter than 110°F). Allow it to sit for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.

Preparing the Dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Create a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture along with olive oil.
Mix until a dough begins to form, then transfer to a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm area for about one hour or until it has doubled in size.
For an even richer flavor, you can opt to let the dough ferment slowly. After the initial rise, cover the bowl.
For an even richer flavor, you can opt to let the dough ferment slowly. After the initial rise, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, remove the dough from the frig and allow it to get to room temperature (30-60 minutes) before proceeding.
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Transfer the risen dough to an 18x13 baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Stretch and press the dough into the pan making it just smaller than the sheet pan. Cover the pan loosely with a dampened cloth (tea towel) and let rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Once risen, dimple the dough with your thumb, making a crevice in the dough.
On a cutting board and using a plate, rolling pin, or whatever you have to smash open the cherry tomatoes at a time. Adding the smashed tomato to the crevice (dimpling) and indenting it into the dough.
Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of water, and brush the mixture across the dough.
Add Basil and bits of garlic cloves throughout the tomatoes on the dough.
Top with Grated Parmesan cheese and sprinkle generously coarse sea salt.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the Focaccia Bread is golden brown.

Notes

The Sponge:

If after 10 minutes the sponge is not foamy, than your yeast is dead and not active. Throw it away and try again.

Bread:

Approximately 12 servings.

Disclaimer

Nutrition Disclaimer: All nutritional information shared on this site is an approximation. I am not a certified nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared on this site should be used as a general guideline. Any nutritional information provided by "Back to the Basics with Laura," is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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Nutrition