An Easy Focaccia Recipe Studded with Tomato Confit
This dough takes a little time – three days of fridge rest – but is otherwise super quick, not to mention easy and delicious
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Before we get into this I want to get something off my chest: This focaccia recipe has by far been the most challenging for me. By no means do I consider myself a pastry chef or baker. The time and patience it takes to be one is nuts and I’m too impatient. So when I decided to make this focaccia, I definitely had fun figuring out the easiest way to do it. (Special shout out to Brandon who runs Quarantine Pizza in L.A. for the helpful tips when I was developing this. He’s truly a master of gluten.)
Focaccia is pretty straight forward to execute, but there are a couple helpful tools that you should have on hand. The most important one is a scale. Precision in the weight of each individual ingredient is key. Along with a scale, you’ll want a cake pan with deep walls, 9×13 is perfect size. Focaccia requires lots of oil and a regular sheet pan can be messy. My first time around testing this caused me to spill hot oil into the oven and that is not fun to clean, trust me.
There’s not much kneading involved with this dough but you will need to let it rest in the fridge for three days before it’s ready to bake. After it rests, let it come to room temp and proof for one to two hours. How long will really depend on the temperature of the area you’re in; if the overall temperature of the room is warm, it will rise faster.
The tomato confit can be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge for when you’re ready. It also makes a good topping for pretty much anything. I used to work at a restaurant that would top off their salads with it. I’ve been putting it in a grilled cheese with some oregano sprinkled in it, a combo I think is pretty darn delicious. Also, feel free to experiment with different herbs, they’re all good.
More Related Recipes to Try Next:
Classic, Easy Vegan Garlic Bread
Almond Cornbread with Grilled Stone Fruit
Grilled Bread and Artichokes with Dipping Oil
Focaccia with Tomato Confit
Ingredients
Focaccia bread
- 975 grams all purpose flour
- 830 grams of warm water (100F)
- 7 grams active dry yeast
- 20 grams salt
- 30 grams olive oil
Tomato confit
- 2 pounds cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons salt
Preparation
For Focaccia
- Add the flour in a bowl and mix well.
- Dissolve the yeast in the water and let it rehydrate (the single yeast packets equate to 7 grams). Once hydrated add the salt, mix, and add to the flour. Mix with a rubber spatula till the water is fully absorbed then add the oil.
- Knead the dough for 5 min from inside the bowl and place in a sealed container for 3 days. Make sure the container is big enough for when the dough grows twice its size.
- Oil a sheet tray with the high temp oil and Carefully pour the dough in and let it come to temp and proof for 1 to 2 hours.
- Drizzle some more oil and add the confit (see below) on top.
- Heat oven at 500 and bake for 10 minutes flipping halfway into the time.
- Let it cool for 10 min before cutting into it.
For Tomato Confit
- Preheat the oven at 300 degrees
- Spread out the tomatoes in a single layer on a sheet try and add salt and oil.
- Cook for one hour. Remove and allow to cool before storing until you’re ready to add to the focaccia or use for another purpose.