One of my favourite things as soon as fall starts is to bake focacce. I prepare the dough the night before, or very early in the morning, so I can give it the right time to rise and enjoy it later. This time I decided to try a different one (last time I shared here one rosemary focaccia) and I prepared a cherry tomato focaccia. 

You can eat it with a salad, as an appetizer with a Spritz, or as I did with a nice red wine glass. I baked it the day before for a scheduled work trip to Moradas no Ulla, a beautiful small cabin resort just 40 km away from Santiago de Compostela. Nature there is so pretty that I thought it would be a nice idea to shoot this recipe in a different location than my studio.

If you finally prepare this tomato cherry focaccia, please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram to see it.

INGREDIENTS

450 gr (3 cups) wheat flour

175 ml (¾ cup) lukewarm water

175 ml (¾ cup) whole milk

50 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil

15 gr (1 tbsp) granulated white sugar

15 gr (5 tsp) yeast

20 gr (1 tbsp) salt

For the top

50 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil

Maldon salt to taste

Fresh thyme to taste

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half

METHOD

In a big bowl combine the sugar and yeast and let them rest until the yeast is melted completely (this process will take between 3 and 5 minutes). Hereafter, add the flour, mix well and at the same time pour, little by little, the water and then the milk. Combine well.

Now knead the dough inside the bowl with your hands, add the olive oil and salt and keep kneading until the dough starts to resist. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 2 hours. It will fully fermented bubbly and double in size.

Then put it in a baking tray after having covered it in parchment paper, smooth the top so it covers the entire dish, and fold the corners underneath the focaccia. Cover again with plastic wrap and leave to rest for another hour. Then remove the paper and make holes with your fingers over the top of the dough. Now dress with the olive oil, salt, and rosemary and bake for 180C (350F) for 35-40 minutes.

Every 10 minutes open the oven for seasoning with more olive oil on the top as the focaccia must be hydrated. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool 15-20 minutes before cutting it.

Buon appetito!