It is so easy that it is so good. The easiest no-knead tomato focaccia bread!
Have you every attempted to make homemade bread? I have tried my fair share of trying out homemade bread. One of my favorites before this easiest no-knead tomato focaccia bread is sourdough bread. I love the tanginess of the bread and that texture. Oh my goodness!
My poor started bit the dust when our home lost power during a hurricane. That is the only one thing that was a pain about the sourdough bread. There was a lot of work around it. Now enter focaccia bread. Y’all. My world was turned upside down after giving this oh-so-good bread a try. Why? It is literally the easiest bread I have every made, cherry tomato focaccia.
Still can’t believe it is this easy.
When I say it easy, I mean it. I am seriously sitting here contemplating making a batch right now. I am all about a throw in a bowl and don’t worry about it kind of person. This Easiest No-Knead Tomato Focaccia Bread is oh my goodness easy and good!
You can make this specific recipe even easier by omitting the cherry tomatoes. Then it really is more of a dump and go type of recipe. I had wanted to go with a focaccia with cherry tomatoes and rosemary, but my rosemary plant wasn’t looking too hot 😉
It’s all about the rest.
I have made different types of breads, and they all require some sort of rising time. With focaccia bread, it is better to let it rise SLOWLY and longer. In order to do this, it needs to be kept in the refrigerator during the rising time. A little cool science fact (y’all, I love me some science), the long and colder rising period allows for the yeast and flour to break down those starches found in the flour into simple sugars. This will help in the flavor and browning of the bread! Making the best of this easiest no-knead tomato focaccia bread.
What exactly do i need?
There are items in this recipe that are a must. These include flour, yeast, salt, and olive oil.
Flour: For the flour, I used all-purpose flour. You can also opt for bread flour. The difference? You will get a more chewy and airy bread with the bread flour opposed to the all-purpose flour. Bread flour has higher protein and gluten that all-purpose flour. My Easiest No-Knead Tomato Focaccia Bread would have been more airy and chewy had I used bread flour instead. Honestly, both are good. It is all about preferences!
Yeast: I used Rapid-Acting Instant Yeast for this recipe, but you can use active dry yeast (which you will need to proof beforehand).
Salt: I am always wishy-washy about salt. I know, how is that even possible if I love to bake and cook?! This bread (like all the breads) need salt. I used sea salt for this one because I love the size and texture of it!
Olive Oil: Olive oil is a must for this recipe. You don’t want this dough sticky to the containers, top or bottom. It is also necessary for the browning.
Seasonings and all the other toppings.
As I mentioned earlier, you can make this recipe as simple as you want. I had cherry tomatoes on hand, and I wanted to add them to the top of my focaccia bread. Other options include fresh or dried herbs like rosemary, basil, and oregano. Some other combinations include roasted veggies, feta cheese, and red onions. This is only a couple ideas!
How exactly do you make focaccia bread?
To make focaccia bread, you basically make your dough first. Add your flour, salt and instant yeast into a large bowl and whisk together. Add the water and mix until a sticky dough ball is formed. Make sure you rub the surface of the dough ball with olive oil. This will keep it from drying out as well as sticking to the cover. Then you will cover it and place it in the refrigerator where it will sit for at least 12 hours.
Once the 12 hours + is up, you will prepare a 9 x13 pan for the next step. Make sure you really grease the pan. You do not want the sticky focaccia dough to stick to the pan while it rises the second time. I added a piece of parchment paper down along with a non-stick spray to keep mine from sticking.
Allow the dough to sit in a draft-free space for 3-4 hours. If the dough has not stretched out to fill the pan, you can gently stretch it out. Then, with the tip of your fingers, you are going to create deep dimples into the dough. I added my cherry tomato halves here! Then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt on top.
Time to bake! Bake for 25-27 minutes or until the underside of the bread is crisp and golden.
Easiest No-Knead Tomato Focaccia Bread
Have you had focaccia bread? This is a must try, Easiest No-Knead Tomato Focaccia Bread. It is not only the easiest bread I have made, but good!
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 2 1/4 tsp Rapid Rise Yeast or Active Dry Yeast
- 2 tsps salt
- 1 tbsps Italian seasoning
- 2 cups water, lukewarm
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the flour, salt and yeast; mix with a whisk
- Add the water and mix until a sticky dough ball is formed.
- Coat the top of the sticky dough with olive oil, well enough that it doesn't stick to the cover or dry out.
- Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
- After 12 hours, remove the bowl and dump into a well-greased 9" x 13"; place in a draft-free location to allow it to rise for another 3-4 hours.
- After 3-4 hours, preheat the oven to 375. Then gently stretch the dough out in the pan if it still needs to be filled in.
- Create deep dimples with your fingers.
- Quickly add the cherry tomato halves throughout the dough, sprinkle with sea salt, drizzle with olive oil, and bake immediately for 25-27 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then enjoy!
A bread that is so easy that it is so easy.
I love bread. It is so good for dipping, so good for just eating. This Easiest No-Knead Tomato Focaccia Bread recipe has truly upped my love for bread. I am pretty sure it will do the same for you!
Other baking recipes: Raspberry and Rosemary Wrapped Baked Brie , Easy 4-Ingredient Monkey Bread
Hugs!
