by This Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia makes a truly satisfying lunch with a side salad. It can also be enjoyed as a delicious appetizer before your main meal.
I’ve been loving lately these wonderfully sweet cherry tomatoes made even more so by oven roasting them till they’re slightly charred and pop open. The roasted tomatoes ooze out the most sweetest concentrated juices with their wonderful aromas permeating the air.
There are so many ways to use these roasted jewels as some of my Instagram friends can attest! You can snack on them as they are with some crusty Italian bread or tossed with your favourite pasta.
Some suggested slow roasting the tomatoes, storing them in jars filled with oil and kept in the refrigerator up to a month.
Usually, I simply top the roasted cheery tomatoes over ciabatta bread which makes a crowd pleasing appetizer. As seen with this Roasted Cherry Tomato Ricotta Bruschetta.
I’ve decided to switch it up today by baking some fresh focaccia bread which is essentially a flatbread and not difficult to put together.
The flatbread with its soft, airy textures and crusty outer layers is then slathered with a a creamy herbed ricotta mixture. I must say its truly mouthwatering on its own but we’re going for the “swoon factor” here!
What better way to do so then topping the flatbread with some juicy oven roasted cherry tomatoes! Oozing out all their caramelized goodness and ready to be sopped up…yummy!
You can enjoy the flatbreads with a side salad and call it a meal. We especially love them sliced into wedges and served as appetizers.
You can also make and bake the flatbreads ahead and freeze them till ready to use. This way you’ll have a yummy flatbread to enjoy at a moments notice!
Buon Appetito!
Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia
Ingredients
Focaccia Dough
- 2 cups water
- 4 + 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 to 5 cups all purpose flour
- 8 grams quick rise instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
Oven Roasted Tomatoes
- 800 grams cherry tomatoes
- 6 cloves garlic (smashed)
- 4 springs oregano (fresh)
- sprinkle salt and ground black pepper (to your taste)
- olive oil (for drizzling)
Herbed Ricotta
- 600 grams ricotta
- 2 tablespoons oregano (fresh)
- 2 tablespoons thyme (fresh)
- sprinkle of salt and pepper to your taste
Instructions
Focaccia Dough
- Heat 2 cups of water with 4 tablespoons of olive oil in the microwave until lukewarm.
- In a large bowl combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, salt, sugar and stir well.
- Stir the warm liquids into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon, mixing well.
- Stir in another cup of flour until combined.
- Transfer the dough to a well floured work surface and knead for a few minutes while working in the remaining cup of flour a bit at a time, just until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Grease a large bowl with oil and place your pizza dough in the greased bowl while turning the dough over to grease all over.
- Cover the bowl with a dish towel and set aside to rise for 60 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and brush lightly with olive oil
- Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer to a floured work surface and divide into 4 equal portions.
- Transfer the portions to the prepared baking sheets, placing 2 on each sheet allowing enough space between the 2 portions.
- Using your hands, push the dough towards the edges of the baking sheet while shaping it roughly to a 6x8 rectangle.
- Cover with a clean dishcloth and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Uncover the focaccia dough and using your fingers press down to form indentations.
- Stir together 4 tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic, oregano and brush over the surface of the focaccia.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Oven Roasted Tomatoes
- Place the cherry tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Scatter with the smashed garlic, tuck in the sprigs of oregano, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and drizzle with some olive oil.
- Roast in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes to 35 minutes.
Herbed Ricotta
- Combine the ricotta, oregano, thyme wth salt and pepper in a bowl and stir well.
Assembling The Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia
- Slather the herbed ricotta mixture over the baked focaccia with equal portions.
- Equally top with the oven roasted tomatoes.
- Garnish with extra oregano, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Slice, serve and enjoy!
Absolutely fabulous! And when they’re roasted like that you can always pull the skins off, if they’re tough. I’m still waiting for mine to ripen. I must have 150 green tomatoes on my plants!
Thanks Mimi! How wonderful to have so many tomatoes growing in your garden! I don’t have a garden but my dad had quite a productive one and part of the fun for me was in the picking!
What a wonderful combination Marisa, then again I love anything with ricotta so why not Focaccia!
Thanks Nadia! When family arrives early for supper time these make great nibbles!
The focaccia looks delicious. Love the use of tomatoes and ricotta. Bookmarking this one to make later. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Its really a wonderful combo and any fresh herbs would compliment this focaccia. There are a few steps but really not complicated at all…hope you get to try it!
This looks wonderful, the perfect recipe for the next few weeks when all the cherry tomatoes will start to ripen at once! You are such an amazing chef Marisa. Hope you’ve been enjoying summer.
Hi Annika…your too kind! I do believe we’re having the hottest summer on record but I won’t complain! Im sure your busy getting your kids back to school and I’ve missed seeing your gorgeous photos on Instagram! Thanks so much!
Slowing getting back to the routine! Thank you dear.
If it weren’t for the fact that it’s going to be in the 90s this week, I’d be getting some focaccia ready to bake and follow your recipe. I love your photos – they are just mouthwatering.
Same here in Montreal it’s been an unbelievable hot summer and all I can say is thank goodness for air conditioning! Thanks so much Linda and hope you get to try it I’m sure you’ll love it!
I love everything about this recipe, Marisa! The caramelized cherry tomatoes are a treat in themselves and put on top of fresh focaccia with herbed ricotta is so appealing. What a lovely appetizer, too. Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂 It’s a winner, for sure.
My family gets so excited when these are served as appetizers and yes the roasted cherry tomatoes are indeed fantastic on there own with just some crusty bread to sop up all the juices. Thanks Denise!
That focaccia looks so fluffy and delicious! And those roasted cherries look bursting with flavour! The perfect flatbread topping!
I love roasting cherry tomatoes…there are so many ways of serving them up and topped over focaccia is a family favourite! Thanks Leanne!
The essence of late summer…simplicity, straightforward and ever so satisfying.
They’re simple and satisfying indeed…the best of summertime! Thanks so much Paula!