Anyone get introduced to beautiful, garden-looking focaccia via Great British Bake Off Bread Week? They look so hard to make in the tent, but they’re surprisingly simple! I’ve been teleworking since March, which means I’ve been experimenting with several different bread recipes – focaccia is one of my favorites to make. Simple for even the most inexperienced baker, and easy to make your own using different kinds of ingredients and toppings. This one is a simple, minimalist focaccia with tomatoes and rosemary. No soggy bottoms here!
Focaccia with Tomatoes and Rosemary
Equipment
- stand mixer
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp olive oil, divided 60g
- 1 1/2 cups warm water 340g
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 418g
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
- 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/2 tbsp flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray, then drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil on top of the spray. (The spray helps the bread release, and the oil crisps the bottom)
- Combine all remaining ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high for about 1 minute, until fully incorporated and a wet, sticky dough forms.
- Scoop the dough (closer to a batter) into the pan, and with olive oiled-fingers, gently coax the dough to spread into the corners of the pan. It doesn't need to be perfect, you'll be able to do this again later. Cover the pan losely with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temp for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise.
- Oil your hands again and gently poke dimples all over the surface of the dough, this gives focaccia it's signature look. Use this time to make sure the dough is evenly spread if it isn't already. Be gentle, you don't want to knock all the air out of the dough!
- Gently press tomato halves into the dough, cut side up. Don't add too many, you don't want to over crowd, and you need room for rosemary as well. Add sprigs of rosemary in the spaces between the tomatoes. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (salt optional, but it goes a long way)
- Bake bread until golden brown, roughly 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Enjoy!
