Cherry Tomato Focaccia and Anchovies and Oregano

A soft, light and fluffy Cherry Tomato Focaccia and Anchovies and Oregano. Full of umami, rich flavour, it makes the solid snack, appetizer or summer side dish. This recipe uses our simple no-knead focaccia dough with an easy step by step guide.

This focaccia topping is incredibly simple and packs so much flavour. Umami, salty anchovies with sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes and oregano sprinkled on top.

It's the solid snack to serve with drinks and other nibbles such as marinated olives and bocconcini mozzarella.

We used our easy overnight no-knead focaccia doug h, which uses a simple folding method to create a light, bubbly and airy texture.

The overnight fermentation in the fridge is so worth it for both flavour and texture; it means you need to prep the dough the day before you plan on serving it.

What you need

• One batch of our overnight no-knead focaccia dough (recipe below)
• Olive oil
• Ripe and juicy cherry tomatoes (can also use baby plum tomatoes)
• Salted anchovies (don't like them? leave them out or go double tomato and add sun-dried tomatoes for that salty, umami flavour).
• Dried oregano

Visual walk-through of the recipe

The full written recipe and video showing the folding techniques can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1 – mix the dough ingredients until no dry bits remain; it will have a rough texture (photos 1-4).

Step 2 – perform the first corner fold. To do this, wet your hand then grab one edge of the dough pull it up gently without tearing it and fold it into the middle of the dough. Repeat this all the way round the dough then cover the dough and leave it for another 30 minutes.

Repeat the step above one more time (photos 5 and 6).

Step 3 – Now it's time to perform the first of 2 coil folds. To do this, wet both hands well, then gently pick the dough up from the middle and stretch it up. Let it fall back down and repeat the step until you can lift the dough right out of the bowl. Let the dough fall back down with the ends folding in on themselves. Turn the bowl and repeat this from the opposite edge.

Cover and leave the dough for 30 minutes, then repeat the step above one more time. Place the dough in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours (photos 7 and 8).

Step 4 – Grease your baking tray well with olive oil and grease your hands. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it in the tray. Gently stretch it out to fit the tray, then cover and let it double in size at room temperature (photos 9-11).

Step 5 – Grease your hands again and create dimples all over the focaccia using your fingers. Top with the cherry tomatoes and anchovies, then sprinkle over some dried oregano and a drizzle of oil (photos 12 and 13).

Step 6 – Bake in the oven until golden brown (about 25 minutes) (photo 14).

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Use a kitchen scale – as always, we highly recommend using a kitchen scale when working with flour. It's so easy to over or under measure flour using cups.
• Proofing time – this all depends on your ambient temperature. The dough will proof much quicker in a warm environment.

Do we have to proof our focaccia dough overnight?

For this recipe, yes. An overnight fermentation is needed when a small amount of yeast is used; it also greatly improves both texture and flavour of the dough.

More pizza and focaccia recipes to try

Bread & Savory Bakes

Walnut Focaccia

Pizza

Sicilian Pizza (Lo Sfincione)

Bread & Savory Bakes

Roasted Tomato Focaccia with Pesto and Burrata

Pizza

Focaccia Pizza

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings

For the dough

• 500 g Italian 00 flour ((approx 3 and 3/4 cups spooned and levelled))
• 400 ml water ((1 and 2/3 cups))
• 1 g (¼ teaspoon) instant yeast ((please see notes))
• 4 tablespoons olive oil plus more for greasing and topping
• 7 g fine salt ((1 level teaspoon))

For the topping

• 200 g (7 oz) Cherry tomatoes ((about 20 tomatoes), cut in half)
• 50 g (2 oz) salted anchovies ((about 14 anchovy fillets))
• Dried oregano
• Olive oil (for topping)

Method

The day before

1. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and place the yeast and salt at opposite ends of the bowl. Please check your packet instructions to see if your yeast needs activated in water first (see notes).

2. Add the water and stir in to form a rough dough. Add the olive oil, then continue to stir the dough with a spoon until there are no dry bits left. It should look very wet and sticky.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.

4. Next, uncover the bowl and wet your hands well with water. Using one hand, fold each edge of the dough into the middle (see photos or video for reference). This takes just a few seconds. Re-cover the bowl and let it rest for another 30 minutes.

5. Repeat the step above once more, then leave it again for 30 minutes.

6. Next, wet your hands again and do a coil fold. To do this, pick the dough up from the middle and stretch it right up until to feel the edges start to come away from the bowl. Release the dough then do this again up to 3-4 times until you can lift the dough right out of the bowl without tearing it. Place the dough back in the bowl letting the ends fold in on themselves. Repeat it from the opposite edge you started with (we recommend watching the quick video below as this is a very simple technique but can sound so complicated written out).

7. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes then repeat this another twice with 30 minutes rest in between.

8. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight or up to 48 hours.

Same day of baking

1. Remove the dough from the fridge and put it in a well-oiled baking tray. Drizzle more olive oil over the top then place more plastic wrap over the tray. Let the dough proof at room temperature until almost doubled in size (don't put it near any direct sun or high heat).

2. Pre-heat the oven to 230C (450F). Oil your hands well and drizzle a small amount over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to create dimples all over the dough (try not to burst any air bubbles).

3. Top the focaccia with the cherry tomatoes, anchovies and a sprinkling of dried oregano.Give it another light drizzle of olive oil then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

4. Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before cutting. You can serve the focaccia warm or at room temperature.

5. It's best served the same day (see notes for storing leftovers)

Kitchen notes

Instant yeast check your yeast packet instructions before using, as some types of yeast need to be activated in water first. If it needs to be activated, use some of the water from the recipe.

Storage leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Best eaten warm or at room temperature.