Description
There’s nothing like the smell of fresh focaccia baking in the oven, warm, herby, and just begging for a good olive oil dip. This version gets topped with sweet, caramelized onion, fresh rosemary, and juicy cherry tomatoes. It’s the kind of bread that feels fancy but honestly isn’t hard to pull off.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dough
- 400 g bread flour
- 1 packet (10 g) instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup lukewarm water (plus a little more if needed)
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- Olive oil (for brushing and greasing)
- Coarse sea salt (for sprinkling)
Topping
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 green pepper, chopped
- Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- A pinch of dried or fresh basil
Instructions
- Add flour, yeast, and salt to your Kenwood mixing bowl. Give it a quick whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the center and pour in the lukewarm water and canola oil.
- Mix on low until a soft dough forms, adding a splash more water if needed.
- Knead on medium speed for about 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Brush a baking tray or pizza pan with olive oil.
- Press the dough out evenly with your fingers, cover, sprinkle lightly with flour, and let it rise for about 1 hour or until doubled.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
- Once risen, press your fingers into the dough to make dimples.
- Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Cover and let rise another 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the topping: sauté onion, garlic, green pepper, and rosemary in olive oil until soft.
- Add balsamic vinegar and cook gently for 2 minutes to reduce. Cool slightly.
- Spread the topping over the dough.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with basil.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and crisp on the edges.
- Cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm with olive oil or alongside your favorite meal.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Gail
