Boasting caramelized edges, a chewy crumb, and a topping of rosemary and juicy tomatoes, our Tomato Sourdough Focaccia will turn this season’s tomato harvest into a fresh-baked masterpiece. The best part? This focaccia has all the tanginess of sourdough without the need for you to build your own starter! We used Platinum® Instant Sourdough Yeast from Red Star®—a revolutionary blend of instant yeast, sourdough culture, and dough strengtheners—to give this recipe a pillowy, open crumb and addictive sour notes minus the hassle of a homemade sourdough starter. Coming together in a snap and feeding a crowd, this is the savory stunner you’ll turn to all summer long.
Tomato Sourdough Focaccia
Make 1 (16x12-inch) loaf
Ingredients
- 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 (0.63-ounce) package (18 grams) Platinum® Instant Sourdough Yeast from Red Star®*
- 2 teaspoons (6 grams) kosher salt
- 1½ cups (360 grams) warm water (120°F/49°C to 130°F/54°C)
- 5 tablespoons (70 grams) olive oil, divided
- 1½ cups (250 grams) grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon (2 grams) chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 clove garlic (5 grams), minced
- 2 teaspoons (6 grams) flaked sea salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together flour, yeast, and kosher salt by hand. Add 1½ cups (360 grams) warm water and 2 tablespoons (28 grams) oil, and beat at medium speed for 5 minutes.
- Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Grease a rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons (28 grams) oil. Turn out dough onto prepared baking sheet. With oiled fingers, gently press dough into a 10-inch circle. Loosely cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) for 30 minutes.
- With oiled fingers, press dough into a 14x11-inch oval. Loosely cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until puffed, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Gently press dimples into surface of dough. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon (14 grams) oil. Top with tomatoes, rosemary, and garlic. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
*Platinum Instant Sourdough Yeast can be substituted with 1 (0.25-ounce) package (7 grams) Platinum® Yeast from Red Star®. Increase bake time to 20 to 25 minutes.
Wow!! What a piece of Art. Great!!
I’m very disappointed in the outcome of this recipe. The dough seemed very wet, but there were no tips on what the dough should look like. After looking at other focaccia recipes, and thinking about previous focaccia that I have made, I decided to add some flour. It still seemed too wet, but I had already added so much extra flour, I was afraid to add more. So I proceeded with the recipe. It ever did rise very well. I went ahead and baked it. Not very good. I have diced it up and it is in the oven drying out to use for stuffing or croutons. I feel so disappointed after going to the trouble to find this yeast. Please in the future, give some tips as to what the dough should look like, not just “beat for 5 minutes”.
Hey Geri,
We’re so sorry to hear of the issues you had with the recipe. For a dough reference, the dough should look relatively wet and shaggy after mixing. Our Focaccia definitely has a higher hydration than many other bread recipes. So no extra flour should need to be added in. By the time you finish with the final rise, you should be able to place and loosely shape your dough onto the pan, but it’ll still have a very loose, stickier texture (so keep everything well oiled with olive oil). Again, we apologize for any inconvenience and will make sure to be more specific on dough reference points in the future. Happy baking!
After reading the other review I was hesitant to try this, but as I had already purchased the yeast I went ahead and made it. My dough wasn’t overly wet at all, so not sure what happened to theirs. I didn’t top mine like the recipe, but we loved it and will definitely be making again!! Thanks.