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Vegetarian, Italy

Cherry tomato and olive focaccia with salad

Cherry tomato and olive focaccia is an Italian flatbread served for 4 with a mixed salad. It takes 1 hour 15 minutes total, ranks medium difficulty, and costs €1.70 per person. The key to success is a well hydrated dough and deep finger holes that hold the olive oil.

A really soft focaccia, dotted with cherry tomatoes and olives, served with a big mixed salad.

Cherry tomato and olive focaccia with salad
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.70
Calories per person
710 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

The focaccia comes out of the oven puffed up and golden on top, soft inside with an airy crumb that holds onto the olive oil. The cherry tomatoes soften slightly as they bake and release their sweet juice, while the black olives bring a salty, slightly bitter edge that balances everything out. Every bite mixes a crisp bottom with a pillowy middle.

This is a dish for a relaxed Sunday, when you have time to let the dough rise without rushing. Kids love pulling pieces off with their hands while it's still warm from the pan. It also works well for guests at an aperitif dinner, cut into squares and set in the middle of the table next to the salad.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Type 55 wheat flouroften in the pantry 500 g
  • Active dry yeastoften in the pantry 7 g
  • Lukewarm wateroften in the pantry 35 cl
  • Pitted black olives 80 g
  • Oreganooften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 8 tbsp
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Flaky sea saltoften in the pantry 1 tsp

Fruits and vegetables

  • Cherry tomatoes 300 g
  • Green salad 1
  • Cucumber 1

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the flour, yeast, 2 tablespoons of oil, the salt and the lukewarm water, then knead for 8 minutes. 8 min

    The dough is quite wet, that's normal, don't add too much extra flour.

  2. Cover and let rise until the dough doubles in size. 45 min

    A turned off oven with the light on is a good spot for rising.

  3. Spread the dough in an oiled pan, press holes with your fingers and drizzle with oil. 5 min

    Stretch it out gently, it will spring back a little.

  4. Push the halved cherry tomatoes and olives into the dough, then sprinkle with oregano and flaky sea salt. 3 min

    Press them in well so they don't shift during baking.

  5. Bake at 220°C until the focaccia is golden. Serve with the dressed salad. 20 min

    Take it out of the pan right away so the bottom doesn't go soft.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use water that's truly lukewarm, not hot and not cold, to wake up the yeast without killing it.
  • Let the dough rise away from drafts, somewhere stable around 25 degrees, so it can really double in size.
  • Drizzle the dough generously with olive oil before baking, that's what gives the bottom its golden, crisp finish.

The variations

  • Swap the black olives for green ones for a sharper, less soft bite.
  • Add slices of mozzarella on top of the dough before baking for a richer version.
  • For kids, skip the olives and quarter the cherry tomatoes so the pieces are smaller and easier to eat.

What to serve it with

  • A well dressed mixed salad
  • Fresh burrata to share
  • Homemade lemonade

Storage

The focaccia keeps for 2 days at room temperature wrapped in a clean towel or in a sealed container. It freezes well once cooled, sliced or whole. Reheat it for a few minutes in the oven to bring back a crisp bottom.

Questions about this dish

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight. Take it out an hour before shaping so it comes back to room temperature.

What flour can I use instead of type 55?

All purpose flour works just as well and gives a slightly finer crumb. Avoid whole wheat flour, since it changes the texture of the focaccia quite a bit.

Why do you need to press the tomatoes and olives deep into the dough?

If they just sit on top, they roll off and fall out during baking. Pressing them in keeps them in place and lets them soften slightly into the dough.

Can I make this focaccia without dry yeast?

You can use fresh baker's yeast instead, roughly doubling the quantity. The lukewarm water and rising time stay the same.

How long does it take to make a cherry tomato and olive focaccia with a side salad?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a cherry tomato and olive focaccia with a side salad?

About 710 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a cherry tomato and olive focaccia with a side salad cost?

About €1.70 per serving, or €6.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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