Focaccia Alla Messinese

Ingredients

Bread flour

500g

Water

350ml, lukewarm

Fresh yeast

15g

Sugar

1 teaspoon

Salt

10g

Extra virgin olive oil

60ml, plus more for greasing

Dried oregano

1 tablespoon

Red onions

2, thinly sliced

Cherry tomatoes

250g, halved

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm water, fresh yeast, and sugar. Stir gently until the yeast is dissolved.
2. Add the bread flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
3. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) and lightly grease a baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil.
5. Once the dough has risen, transfer it to the prepared baking sheet and spread it out with your hands to fit the shape of the pan.
6. Using your fingers, press dimples into the surface of the dough, creating small pockets. Drizzle the remaining olive oil generously over the top.
7. Evenly distribute the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onions, and dried oregano across the surface of the dough, pressing them down slightly.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown and the edges are crisp.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting it into squares and serving warm.