Roasted Garlic Focaccia

5 from 1 vote

Roasted Garlic Focaccia is a fluffy, airy Italian bread topped with roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes, Italian herb seasonings, and olive oil. It’s a flavorful, versatile side that pairs perfectly with our bread dipping oil recipe.

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Proofing2

Total Time2 55

Course: Breads

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: squares

Calories: 201kcal

Author: Kelly

Equipment

9x13 Baking Pan

Ingredients

Roasted garlic:

1 head garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil

Dough:

1⅓ cup warm water 105-110℉
2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
¼ cup flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ teaspoon coarse salt

Topping:

¼ cup olive oil divided
4 ounces cherry tomatoes cut in half
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon coarse salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Roast the Garlic

Preheat the oven to 400℉. Cut the top off a head of garlic and drizzle with 1 tbsp/15ml olive oil. Wrap with foil and baked for 35-45 minutes until browned and fragrant.
1 head garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix the Focaccia Dough

In a large bowl combine the warm water with ¼ cup of the flour. Stir to dissolve. Sprinkle the yeast on top and set aside to get foamy, about 10-15 minutes.
1⅓ cup warm water, ¼ cup flour, 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
Stir in the rest of the flour, olive oil, and salt. Mix in until a dough forms.
3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoon coarse salt
Turn out on a very lightly floured surface. Knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Allow to rise until a little over doubled (60-90 minutes depending on the ambient temperature).

Prepare the Toppings

While the dough is rising, prep the toppings. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, use a blunt knife or peel and squeeze out the roasted cloves. Try to keep them as intact as possible. Slice the tomatoes in half. Finely chop the rosemary.

Assemble and Bake

Add half the remaining olive oil to a 9”x13” baking pan. Spread out evenly and place the dough in. Turn over several times to completely cover in oil. Stretch out with your fingers to the corners.
⅛ cup olive oil
Cover again and allow to rise until 1.5x the size (30-60 minutes). While rising, heat the oven to 450°F.
Using oiled fingers, push lots of dimples into the dough. Press cloves (or small bits) of roasted garlic into some of the dimples. Press the halved tomatoes in cut side up. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and salt.
4 ounces cherry tomatoes, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon coarse salt
Drizzle with the last of the olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown and very firm.
⅛ cup olive oil
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and cooling at least another 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

Use warm, not hot water: Warm water helps activate the yeast without killing it, leading to a better rise.
Let the dough rise fully: Allow enough time for the dough to double in size so the focaccia stays light and airy.
Roast the garlic first: Roasting mellows the garlic flavor and prevents it from burning during baking.
Be generous with olive oil: Plenty of olive oil adds flavor and helps create a golden, crisp exterior.
Dimple deeply: Press your fingers firmly into the dough so the surface holds oil and toppings evenly.

Nutrition