Milk Street's Tomato Olive Focaccia (The Ridiculously Easy Way!)

One bite of this Tomato Olive Focaccia and you'll be smitten! With a shatteringly crisp crust, a soft, pillowy interior and a topping of herby tomatoes and olives, it might just be one of the best things you've ever tasted!

Let's get one thing straight before I even get started. I love great food, but... I'm quite lazy when it comes to cooking. I'm forever looking at ways to make things easier in the kitchen. And, to be honest, that's exactly how this Ridiculously Easy Tomato Olive Focaccia recipe evolved. Let me explain...

An email came through my inbox recently from Milk Street (one of my favorite websites) with a recipe for Tomato Olive Focaccia, accompanied by a gorgeous image. It was "love at first sight" (in a culinary sense), and I quickly clicked on the link to check out the recipe.

Italian street food at its best!

Milk Street discovered this Tomato Olive Focaccia on a trip to Italy, reminding me of my own visit to Rome many years ago. It was a trip with friends and I recall aimlessly roaming the quaint cobbled streets with no destination in mind. But one whiff of the fabulous yeasty-oregano aromas wafting from the myriad of pizza/focaccia shops would always give us direction.

It was almost impossible to resist following our noses to iconic little pizzerias tucked away on centuries-old alleyways or open-air cafés on bustling piazzas. I'll never forget those thick, fragrant slices of deliciousness and was hoping this Tomato Olive Focaccia recipe would take me back to those magical days in the Eternal City.

* Spoiler alert - this looks strangely familiar to the pizza/focaccia we enjoyed so much in Rome, but (dream come true!)... It's our Tomato Olive Focaccia!

Too much

However, when I read through the recipe, I was disappointed. It required a stand mixer, 10 minutes worth of mixing and kneading, two bowls, lots of steps AND a total of seven and a half hours from start to completion. Granted, that total time included less than an hour of hands-on labor, but all in all, it was more time, energy and dirty dishes than I wanted to invest.

Then, I got to thinking... I wondered if I could create the same "light, open crumbed texture" with the fabulous tomato-olive topping that was described in the Milk Street blurb - but with a simplified recipe. You never know until you try, right?

Ridiculously Easy

I decided to adapt our Same Day Focaccia recipe (pictured below with our Rapsberry Freezer Jam), which is part of our Ridiculously Easy collection of recipes.

If you're a long-time follower of The Café, just skip ahead, but if you're new here, you need to explore this wonderful set of recipes. We call them "Ridiculously Easy" because... well, they are! But there's more to it than that - they're also incredibly delicious and will make you look and feel like an accomplished cook (I call it "a kitchen rock star") with minimal effort on your part!

You can read more about this collection of recipes in this post and see the whole collection here. Take some time to peruse them. I know you'll find lots to like!

Tomato Olive Focaccia

Back to our delicious focaccia recipe. It took a few attempts, but I'm quite thrilled with the results and every time I make this Tomato Olive Focaccia, I feel nostagically taken back to Rome, as the amazing aromas begin to fill the house. Scott often yells from another part of the house, "Wow! That smells unbelievable!"

Although you'll want to make this Tomato Olive Focaccia on a day when you're hanging out at home for a few hours, the hands-on time itself is minimal. This is how it works:

• Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center and add warm tap water, honey and a splash of olive oil.
• Give it all a good stir, then stash the bowl in a warm, cozy spot (see more on that under Cafe Tips below).
• Set a timer for a 30-minute rise. Clean up the kitchen, read a book, listen to a podcast, water the plants or whatever's on your "to do" list.
• When the timer goes off, give the dough a series of stretch and folds. This will take less than a minute (See the "Stretch and Fold" section and video below).
• This time, let the dough rise for an hour, then repeat the stretch and fold.
• Divide the dough in half and transfer it to the prepared pans, where it will rest and rise again.
• The last step before baking is to dimple the dough and add the tomato/olive topping.
• A drizzle of olive oil while the oven preheats completes your part.
• The oven will do the rest of the magic as you get to enjoy the intoxicating aromas.

See what I mean? Easy... ridiculously easy! And here is the delicious result:

The magic of Stretch and Fold

So how can this Tomato Olive Focaccia recipe be made in WAY less time than the seven-and-a-half hours that the Milk Street recipe requires? Magic! Yes, it's quite magical that one straightforward little step (repeated twice) creates a beautifully delicious rustic bread in minimal time.

In the bread/pizza baking world, this trick is called "The stretch and fold method". I'm not sure who originated it, but Peter Rheinhart, the pizza guru, explains the technique much better than I could:

The stretch and fold method is a remarkable way to maximize gluten development in a dough with minimum mixing time. It is sometimes referred to as "intermittent kneading" and also by the term "folding." All of these refer to a similar method, though the time intervals may vary from recipe to recipe. In short, it means to intermittently fold the dough over onto itself during the fermentation stage.

He goes on to say:

What this accomplishes is to strengthen the bonding of the gluten protein threads that hold the dough together and thus trap the carbon dioxide created by the yeast. This is what creates the bubbles or air pockets that we refer to as the "crumb" in the final bread.

My daughter-in-law, Lindsay, created a video to demonstrate this easy Stretch and Fold Technique. Check it out:

Beyond delicious

So, if you're looking for something out of the ordinary and also extraordinarily delicious, try this Tomato Olive Focaccia. The aroma as it bakes will make you feel like you've taken a trip to Italy. Its beautiful appearance as it rolls out of the oven will bring lots of oohs and aahs, but that first bite... oh my, let's just say it's beyond delicious!

Cafe Tips for making this Ridiculously Easy Tomato Olive Focaccia

• You'll need 2 9-inch baking pans for this recipe. You could also use two 9-inch round cake pans, but your focaccia will be thicker. This is not a sponsored post, but I really like OXO Good Grip baking pans. I've had my baking pans for years and they still look like new.
• This recipe calls for bread flour. Bread flour is higher in protein, which is what helps form gluten, so the more protein, the more gluten. That means dough that's stronger and stretchier and rises more - all of which facilitate those big, beautiful air you find bubbles in authentic focaccia bread. (I use King Arthur Bread Flour, which is 12.7% protein.)
• If you don't have bread flour and don't want to purchase it, you can also use all-purpose flour for making this recipe. You might not get quite as much rise, but it will still be delicious. (King Arthur AP flour is 11.7% protein.)
• This recipe calls for "warm tap water, 100-108˚F. That's probably warmer than you think. You may want to check your water with an instant thermometer to ensure that it's warm enough.
• You may find you need a little extra water when making the dough for this focaccia. It can change, depending on the moisture environment in your home as well as your flour - some flours are "thirstier" than others and may, therefore need more water.
• I like to use a sturdy spatula or a Danish Whisk to mix up my dough. They both work well.
• While we're talking about mixing the dough, make sure all of the flour is well incorporated and there are not any little pockets of dry flour. I always stir it up until I think it's well mixed and then stir a little more.
• If your kitchen is a bit chilly, you'll need to find a warm spot to let your dough rise. Here are some ideas for creating an ideal rising climate:
  • Bring a cup of water to a boil inside your microwave. Place the bowl of dough in the steamy microwave, covered with a clean kitchen towel.
  • Another microwave trick: place the bowl of dough in the microwave and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let one end of the towel hang out of the door. Close the door with the towel across the opening. This will cause the light to remain on in the microwave, creating a nice warm environment.
  • Heat the oven for 2 minutes then turn it off. Turn the light on in the oven to maintain a warm, cozy rising spot.
  • If the top of your refrigerator is clear, this is also a nice warm spot for bread dough.
• Be sure to grease your pan (with butter), line it with parchment paper,  then add a drizzle of olive oil. This may seem like overkill, but the butter adds nice flavor to the crust, the parchment paper keeps it from sticking and the oil gives it amazing crispness.
• I love these precut parchment paper circles and squares. They're super convenient and a package will last forever - unless, of course, you're a crazy baker like I am. Then the pack will only last for half of forever.
• Don't be shy when you "dimple" the dough just before the final rise and baking. You want to poke your fingers to the bottom of the pan and make little holes. This will ensure nice deep dimples that won't disappear in the oven.

Thought for the day:

All the angels were standing around the throne
and the elders and the four living creatures.
They all bowed down on their faces before the throne
and worshiped God, saying,
"Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor,
power, and strength belong to our God forever and ever.
Revelation 7:11-12

What we're listening to for inspiration:

Worth Of It All

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Milk Street's Tomato Olive Focaccia (The Ridiculously Easy Way!)

Chris Scheuer

One bite of this Tomato Olive Focaccia and you'll be smitten! With a shatteringly crisp crust, a soft, pillow interior and a topping of herby tomatoes and olives, it might just be one of the best things you've ever tasted!

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Rising Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Servings 16 servings

Calories 189

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

.5x1x2x

For the dough:

• 4 cups bread flour
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, I use Morton's
• 2 cups very warm tap water, 100-108˚F (maybe a bit more)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey

For the pan:

• 3 teaspoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, torn or cut in half or thirds
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

For garnish:

• flaky sea salt, for garnish after baking

Instructions

 

For the dough:

1. Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl (at least 10 cups). Stir well with a sturdy spatula, Danish whisk or a wooden spoon to combine.
2. Add approximately half of the water (no need to measure), the honey and the two tablespoons of olive oil. Stir well to incorporate the wet ingredients. The mixture will be shaggy and dry at this point.
3. Add the remaining water and stir again until the water is well incorporated. If the mixture seems dry, add an additional tablespoon or two of water and stir to combine. You’re looking for a thick, shaggy, fluffy wet dough with no pockets of dry flour.
4. Drizzle the dough ball with a little more olive oil and turn it a few times in the bowl to coat.

For rising:

1. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, cozy spot for 30 minutes. (See The Café Tips in the post above for suggestions on creating a good place for dough to rise.)
2. After 30 minutes, remove the cover and, using either a large spatula or slightly we hands, pick up one side of the dough, stretch it, and then fold it over onto the rest. Turn the bowl one-quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Repeat the stretch and fold 4-5 more times, turning the bowl one-quarter each time.
3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise again for one hour.
4. During the one-hour rise, use a piece of paper toweling and rub a teaspoon of butter over the bottom and sides of two 9-inch pans. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then rub a half teaspoon of butter over the parchment paper in each pan.
5. Lastly, drizzle each pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and rub it with your hand or a spatula to cover the parchment-lined bottom. Set aside.
6. After the one-hour rise, repeat the stretching and folding described in step 2 above, then divide the dough into two equal portions and place them in the prepared pans. Flip the dough balls over to coat them with oil and flatten them out with your hand in the pans. The dough won’t cover the entire pan at this point, but flatten it out as much as you can. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside (back in your the warm area) to rise again for 30 minutes.
7. When the 30-minute rise in the pan is completed, drizzle the dough in each pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Using your fingers and starting at the center of the dough in one pan, dimple and stretch it towards one side. You’re trying to evenly fill the pan to the edge and into the corners. (Don’t be afraid to be aggressive with your dimpling. You need to reach your fingers down to the bottom of the pan. Deep dimpling creates focaccia’s signature peaks and valleys and prevents the texture from disappearing during the baking time.)
8. Return to the center and dimple and stretch the dough out towards the opposite edge. If the dough seems resistant at any point, let it rest for a few minutes, then try again.

For the topping:

1. Top each focaccia with half of the tomatoes and half of the olives. Sprinkle each pan with 1 teaspoon dried oregano and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Drizzle each pan lightly with a bit more olive oil, trying to get a little oil on each tomato.
2. Set the pans back in your warm area to rise for 25-30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 475˚F.

To bake:

1. Bake on the center rack in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove the pans from the oven and set on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
2. Using and angled metal spatula, remove the focaccia loaves from the pans to the cooling rack. Discard the parchment paper.
3. Cool for 30 minutes before slicing and devouring.

To store:

1. Store in a zippered bag. It also freezes well. I like to slice in in 1-1½-inch strips before freezing so I can pull out as many pieces as I want without thawing the whole thing.

Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.

Inspired by Milk Street

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 430mgPotassium: 62mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 108IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg

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Course: Baked Goods, Bread

Cuisine: Italian