In his upcoming book Crust: Essential Sweets and Savories from Victoria’s Beloved Bakery, chef and culinary educator Tom Moore shares the recipes for some of the most popular items from his artisanal bakery, Crust. This one was developed years ago following a particularly bountiful cherry tomato harvest from Moore’s kitchen garden, and has been a staple ever since. “With olives and Parmesan, it is reminiscent of a delicious thick-crust pizza, full of herbs and olive oil and all those good earthly things,” Moore writes. “It goes without saying that this recipe benefits from using tomatoes that are at the peak of their season.”

A cherry tomato and green olive focaccia on a wooden serving board, with three whole cherry tomatoes on the counter next to it

Roasted Tomato and Green Olive Focaccia

Tom Moore's recipe for focaccia with roasted cherry tomatoes, green olives and Parmesan.

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Course Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2 loaves

Ingredients

Bread

1¼ cups (300 ml) lukewarm water (90–100°F/32–38°C)
2¼ tsp instant dry yeast
3 cups bread flour
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp honey
½ cup (140 g) sliced green olives
¾ cup (16 g) flat-leaf parsley coarsely chopped, divided
3 tbsp (20 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided

Topping

2 cups (360 g) cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp flaky sea salt divided
½ tsp dried red chili flakes
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the water and yeast, stirring gently with a fork until the yeast is dissolved.
In a stand mixer, combine the flour, vegetable oil, kosher salt, sugar and honey. Add the yeast mixture and stir to combine, scraping down the sides. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until all the ingredients are well combined, 30 to 60 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 4 to 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the dough: it should not be sticking to the sides or bottom of the bowl. If it is, decrease the speed and carefully add 1–2 tsp of flour. Add the olives and 3 tbsp of the parsley and mix for 20 seconds or until well incorporated through the dough.
Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly spray or brush the bowl with a neutral oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Set it in a warm place for 30 minutes to proof. You won’t see a lot of action here just yet; the dough is just getting started.
Place the dough on a clean counter (no need to flour it) and gently stretch it a little, then fold it in half. Turn the dough ninety degrees and gently stretch it and fold in half again. Repeat twice more, so that you have folded the dough four times in total. Return the dough to the greased bowl, cover with the plastic wrap and return it to your warm proofing spot for another 30 to 45 minutes or until the dough has risen and doubled in size.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush two large rimmed sheet pans with extra virgin olive oil.
On a parchment-lined rimmed sheet pan, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, garlic, thyme, 1 tsp of the flaky salt and the chili flakes and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tomatoes have started to crack and the herbs and garlic are fragrant. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on, and let cool.
Tip the dough onto the clean counter and cut it evenly in half. Using your fingertips, gently stretch out each half into a 6 × 9-inch (15 × 23 cm) rectangle. If they spring back without keeping their shape, let them rest on the counter, lightly covered with plastic wrap, for a few minutes, then try again.
Place each rectangle on a prepared pan, cover with a clean, dry tea towel, and place in your warm spot until the dough has risen and puffed a bit, about 25 minutes. The dough should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. You will prepare and bake one loaf at a time (unless you have two ovens – lucky you!), so leave the second loaf in its warm spot until you are ready for it.
Now for the fun part! Using all ten fingertips, press them into the dough of the first loaf, all the way to the bottom. Repeat six times, evenly over the dough, to create little wells all over the surface. The loaf will spread out a bit, and that’s just fine. Press half of the tomatoes firmly into some of the wells, evenly distributing them across the dough. Drizzle half of the olive oil pan juices over top.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown all over. Immediately sprinkle with half of the Parmesan, half of the remaining parsley and half of the remaining flaky salt. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before eating.
Repeat steps 9 and 10 with the second loaf.

Notes

This bread will keep in an airtight container or heavy-duty plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in a well-sealed, airtight bag in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure the bag is airtight so your fridge doesn’t end up smelling of garlic! I don’t recommend freezing this loaf.

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