Sourdough Tomato Pesto Olive Focaccia

Close-up of sourdough focaccia with tomatoes, pesto, olives, and basil.

Sourdough Tomato Pesto Olive Focaccia

If you're looking for a focaccia that's a little different, this sourdough tomato pesto olive focaccia is one of my favorite ways to dress up a classic loaf. The roasted tomato pesto adds rich flavor, the olives bring a salty bite, and the pockets of melted cheese make every piece even better. I especially love serving it when friends or family come over because it looks impressive, but it's surprisingly simple to make. It's delicious on its own, paired with a bowl of soup, or served alongside a fresh salad for an easy meal.

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Prep Time 35

Cook Time 30

Total Fermentation Time: 11

Total Time 12 5

Servings 16 servings

Calories 235

Ingredients

Dough

500 g bread flour
360 g water
100 g active sourdough starter
10 g salt
25 g olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder optional

Mix-ins, filling, and other

¾ cup olives sliced, I prefer black or kalamata for contrast
¾ cup tomato pesto thick roasted
3 tablespoon olive oil for greasing the pan
200 g cheese cut into small cubes (mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, gouda, etc.)

Instructions

Combine the flour, water, sourdough starter, salt, olive oil, and garlic powder (if using). Mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Perform your first set of stretch and folds, adding the sliced olives as you fold the dough. Complete another 2–3 sets of stretch and folds over the next 2 hours, spacing them about 30 minutes apart.
Continue bulk fermentation until the dough has increased by about 75% and looks light and airy. For me, that usually takes about 8 hours.
Generously oil a 9×13-inch baking pan. I like to put a parchment paper in so the serving of this focaccia is easy (I can just take it out and place on a board after it’s baked). Transfer the dough to the pan and gently press it into a rough rectangle.
Spread the tomato pesto over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edges.
Fold the top third of the dough toward the center. Fold the bottom third over the top, just like folding a letter. Rotate it so it fits the pan better.
Stretch and press the folded dough back toward the edges of the pan until it fills most of the pan again. If you'd like to make this focaccia pull-apart style, cut diagonal lines across the dough with a bench scraper or a sharp knife in one direction, then repeat in the opposite direction to create a diamond pattern. Don’t be afraid to cut the dough all the way down, as it will stick together again during the second rise!
Cover and let the dough proof until very puffy and bubbly, usually 1–3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
After the second rise, go ahead and tuck a cube of cheese into the cut sections, pressing it down slightly into the dough (that way, you’ll get the cheesy pulls when you pull the dough apart).
Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden and the edges are crisp. Optional if you want to impress guests: stir together some melted butter, parsley, and oregano, then brush it over the warm focaccia as soon as it comes out of the oven. Decorate with some fresh basil leaves.
Let the focaccia cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

If you want to use fresh milled flour: I’d recommend using about 150g fresh milled hard white wheat and 350g bread flour, and increasing water for about 10-15g (so using 370-375g water). I wouldn’t go beyond using 150g freshly milled flour, as more will definitely make the focaccia denser and just not as fluffy.
Homemade roasted tomato pesto works great because it's much thicker than most store-bought versions (at least mine is).
Pat the olives dry before adding them to the dough to avoid introducing extra moisture. I prefer my olives in brine, not in oil, if I’m adding it to any kind of bread dough.
Leaving a small border around the pesto helps keep it from leaking out while the focaccia bakes.
Low-moisture mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, Monterey Jack, gouda, or similar semi-firm cheeses all work well. Avoid very wet fresh mozzarella, which can release too much moisture.
This focaccia is delicious on its own, but it's also wonderful served with burrata, fresh mozzarella, or alongside soups and salads.

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