Sun-dried Tomatoes and Feta Focaccia
This classic focaccia is crispy on the outside and airy on the inside, featuring tasty sun-dried tomatoes, dairy-free feta, and green onions. It’s a super easy and delicious addition to any dinner table.
This focaccia bread is generously filled with sun-dried tomatoes, plant-based feta, and green onions. True to the traditional focaccia, it features a crispy bottom and edges while maintaining a soft, chewy, and airy interior. This recipe offers a delicious dairy-free twist on the classic Italian bread.
What you will need:
Sun-dried tomatoes, dairy-free feta and green onions are a must for this delicious focaccia. All other ingredients are basic pantry items. I used Rapid Rise yeast for this recipe. Rapid Rise yeast can be added right to the bowl with all the other ingredients; it doesn’t need to be bloomed first. Active dry yeast will work just as well, just remember to bloom it.
- bread flour
- olive oil
- rapid rise yeast
- salt
- green onions
- sun-dried tomatoes
- dairy-free feta – I used Violife just like Feta
- dried thyme
- coarse salt
How to:
To begin, take a medium bowl and combine the flour, yeast, salt, water, and olive oil. We need the water to be between 105F and 115F. If the water is too cold or too warm, it can kill the yeast. I suggest purchasing a thermometer, it makes things so much easier and more accurate. Mix the ingredients until they are fully incorporated; don’t worry if the dough appears slightly lumpy—it’s perfectly normal. Next, place the bowl inside a proofing bag (see the note below in the notes section) or simply cover it. Allow the dough to proof for 20 minutes. For an optimal proofing environment, I recommend placing the dough in a proofing bag and then setting the bag in the oven with only the oven light on. This method works well throughout the year and creates an ideal atmosphere for your dough to rise beautifully.
Please refer to the notes section below for a more detailed description of the proofing and folding process. After the dough has proofed for the first 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and its proofing bag, and perform the first set of eight folds. Keep a bowl of water nearby, as wet fingers will help prevent the dough from sticking too much. Return the dough to the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven for the second 20-minute proofing session.
Once the dough has proofed for the second 20 minutes, take the bag out of the oven and remove the dough from the bag. It’s time to complete the second set of eight folds. Return the dough to the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven.
This process of 20 minutes of proofing followed by eight folds will be repeated four more times, resulting in a total of six proofing and folding sessions over the course of two hours.
After completing the last set of 8 folds, generously grease an 8×8 square baking pan with olive oil. Pour the dough into the pan and gently spread it out, taking care not to lose any air bubbles you’ve created. Drizzle a light amount of olive oil over the top of the dough. Place the pan inside a proofing bag, and then put the bag in the oven with only the oven light on. Allow the dough to proof in the oven for 1 hour.
Once the dough has finished proofing, remove it from the oven and take it out of its proofing bag. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drizzle the dough with additional olive oil. Using your fingers, create dimples in the dough to form bubbles and pockets. Scatter the diced feta, chopped green onions and sun-dried tomatoes across the top of the dough. Season the focaccia with dried thyme and coarse salt for taste. Feel free to dimple the dough a little more if desired. Bake the focaccia for 30 minutes, or until it is browned and crispy. The edges should pull away from the sides of the pan. Once done, transfer the bread to a cooling rack; it is best enjoyed warm. Store any leftover focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature.
Alright, let’s get started. Please make, bake and enjoy!
Sun-dried Tomato and Feta Focaccia
Ingredients
- 200 grams bread flour
- 250 ml water – 105F – 115F
- 1 tbsp olive oil + more for drizzling
- 3 grams / ½ tsp salt
- 4 grams / 1¼ tsp rapid rise yeast
- 35 grams plant based feta – diced – I used Violife just like Feta (roughly ⅕ of the block)
- 2 stalks green onion – chopped
- 30 grams / 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
- dried thyme for seasoning
- coarse salt for seasoning
Instructions
- To a medium bowl, add the flour, yeast, salt, water and olive oil. Stir until all ingredients are fully combined. Its ok if it seems a little lumpy.Place the bowl in a "proofing bag" ***see note below in the notes section*** or cover the bowl and set the bowl aside to proof for 20 minutes. ***I place my dough in a proofing bag and place the bag in the oven with only the oven light on. No matter the time of year, I find it to be the perfect environment for proofing dough.
- ***Please see note below in the notes section for a more detailed description of the proofing/folding process.So the dough has proofed for its 1st 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and its proofing bag and do your 1st eight folds. Keep a bowl of water near by, wet fingers helps keep the dough from sticking too much. Return the dough to the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven for the 2nd 20 minute proofing session.The dough has proofed for the 2nd 20 minute session. Remove the bag from the oven and remove the dough from the bag. Time to complete the 2nd set of 8 folds. Return the bowl back to the proofing bag and return the bag back to the oven. This process of 20 minutes of proofing and 8 folds will be repeated 4 more times. ( a total of 6 proof/folds over the course of 2 hours)
- Once the last set of 8 folds is complete, heavily grease your baking pan – an 8×8 square pan – with olive oil. Pour the dough into the pan and gently spread it out – trying not to lose any bubbles you have created. Drizzle the top of the dough with olive oil – not too heavy on the olive oil. Place the pan in the proofing bag, place the bag in the oven – again with only the oven light on. Leave the dough in the oven to proof for 1 hour.
- Once done proofing, remove the dough from the oven and its proofing bag. Preheat the oven to 425FDrizzle the dough with more olive oil. Using your fingers, "dimple" the dough creating bubbles and pockets. Scatter the diced feta, chopped green onions and sun-dried tomatoes across the top of the dough; season with dried thyme and coarse salt for taste. Feel free to stick those fingers in there and "dimple" a little more. Bake the focaccia for 30 minutes. You want it to be browned and crispy. It will also be separated from the sides of the pan. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack. It is best served warm.Store the focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Tutorial video for the folding process
