Cherry Tomato Focaccia

Cherry Tomato Focaccia is an easy focaccia recipe that is a great starting point for home bakers. This bread recipe calls for very little hands on time and is easy to bake. Once you learn the basics of making focaccia you’ll turn to this recipe again and again!

Cherry tomato focaccia celebrates summer’s fresh cherry tomatoes and could be modified for other types of tomatoes and herbs to suit your taste. Serving this cherry tomato focaccia as an appetizer when you have company is a smart move: your home sings with the aroma of freshly baked bread and your guests are impressed with your baking skills. Shh, don’t tell them how easy this recipe is to make!

I came across a new magazine for me this week at the library, Vegetarian Times, and was delighted that their July/August 2012 issue featured recipes with cherry tomatoes. While I’m still waiting for my cherry tomato plant to ripen, I happened to have two pounds of grape tomatoes purchased on my latest Costco trip.

What is focaccia?

Focaccia is a relatively flat, Italian type of yeast bread that is baked with herbs and olive oil. Its surface often dimpled because the baker will press down into the dough after it has risen to create indentations.

Focaccia dough is similar to pizza dough. Pizza dough does not rise as much and produces a flat bread while focaccia is given time to rise and has a bouncy, light texture. Focaccia has a lightly browned top and bottom while the inside of the bread is fluffy and tender. 

Focaccia can be served as an appetizer or a side dish. 

Learn how to make focaccia

Focaccia is an easy bread for beginners like me to make at home. The dough is straightforward and simple to make with or without a standing mixer; toppings can be customized to your personal taste. There are two rising periods of one hour each then the focaccia is baked for less than 30 minutes, a process that makes this bread a cinch to pull together in an afternoon just like I did today.

Focaccia Ingredients

• bread flour
• sugar
• instant yeast
• salt
• warm water
• olive oil
• olive oil
• rosemary, chopped
• garlic, minced
• cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes

What is the difference between bread flour and all purpose flour?

You’ll notice at the store that some types of flour are called “bread flour” while others are “all purpose flour”. The difference between bread flour and all purpose flour is the protein content. Gluten is one of the proteins in bread that give it that chewy and elastic texture. A bread flour has a higher protein content which helps a recipe achieve that stretch and strength familiar to us in bread recipes.

Can I substitite all purpose flour for bread flour?

Yes, you can substitute all purpose flour for bread flour in most yeast bread recipes. You may find that the baked bread is less chewy and doesn’t have the same crumb texture if you use all purpose flour. The bread will still taste good and turn out well.

What toppings are good for focaccia?

• cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or slices of larger tomatoes
• olives or tapenade
• pesto
• fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, parsley and chives
• Italian spices
• roasted peppers
• Parmesan cheese
• Garlic (especially roasted garlic)
• fresh berries top focaccia in this berry focaccia recipe from Sommer at A Spicy Perspective

Pin this cherry tomato focaccia recipe to make later!

 

More easy bread recipes to bake at home:

• Tomato basil bread
• Simple pita bread
• Knead Not Sourdough Bread
• Heirloom tomatoa focaccia

Post originally published in August 2012, updated May 2019