Cheesy Summer Focaccia
Late summer tomatoes and basil are absolutely THRIVING in our garden right now, so I knew I had to put together a bubbly, summery focaccia. This one is loaded with Cabot Creamery Gouda, lots of homemade pesto and fresh cheery tomatoes. It really doesn’t get much better!
Dough Ingredients:
450g flour (AP or bread)
50g rye (optional, just add 50g more regular flour if not using rye)
400g water
100g sourdough starter
12g salt
Topping:
4-6oz cubed cheese
1/4 cup pesto (optional)
handful of sliced cheery tomatoes (also optional)
Olive oil for greasing the tin and dough
Instructions
Mix the bread flour and rye flour (if using). Add the starter into the water and combine thoroughly with a whisk.
Pour the water/starter mixture into the flour bowl and mix to combine (either with your hand or with a wooden spatula). Mix until you see no dry bits of flour. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, sprinkle the salt on top and pinch it into the dough with lightly wet hands. Pull the dough around to create a smooth ball. Let rest for 45 minutes.
Continue with this resting and stretching/folding several more times. Then, let the dough sit undisturbed until it is puffy and roughly grown by 1/3 in size, usually 3-4 more hours (from step 1 through step 5, this whole process takes 6-8 hours).
Instructions continue below.
Above, photos of dough in the mixing process.
5. Once you’ve completed the bulk fermentation, put the covered bowl into the fridge and let it rest overnight.
6. In the morning, line a round 9-inch cake pan or 9-inch oven proof skillet with parchment paper and olive oil. Transfer the dough from to the prepared baking vessel and let it rise again at room temperature for several hours, ideally covered with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
7. When the focaccia looks bubbly and has filled out the pan nicely, you’re ready to bake! Pre-heat the oven to 425F and gently dimple the dough (careful not to push all the air out; see photo above). Top with cheese, dollops of pesto, and halved cheery tomatoes, if you’d like.
8. Bake the focaccia for about 30 minutes. If you want, you can test to see if it’s done by taking the internal temperature of the dough - if it reaches 205-210F, it is ready to come out. Let it cool completely in the muffin tin before diving in - they may need to fully finish cooking while they cool. Enjoy!
The focaccia will keep at room temperature in a sealed container for about a day. After that, move them into the fridge and warm a slice up when you’re hungry. Thank you to Cabot Creamery for sponsoring this post.
I’d love to see your creations! Tag @nokneadtoworry on Instagram.
Read next
My Sourdough Method
Winter Focaccia