Cherry Tomato Focaccia with Anchovies and Oregano
Updated Jul 21, 2025, Published Sep 12, 2017
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A soft, light and fluffy Cherry Tomato Focaccia with Anchovies and Oregano. Full of umami, rich flavour, it makes the perfect snack, appetizer or summer side dish. This recipe uses our simple no-knead focaccia dough with an easy step by step guide.
This focaccia topping is incredibly simple and packs so much flavour. Umami, salty anchovies with sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes and oregano sprinkled on top.
It’s the perfect snack to serve with drinks and other nibbles such as marinated olives and bocconcini mozzarella.
We used our easy overnight no-knead focaccia dough, which uses a very simple folding method to create a super light, bubbly and airy texture.
The overnight fermentation in the fridge is so worth it for both flavour and texture; it just means you need to prep the dough the day before you plan on serving it.
Table of Contents
What you need
- One batch of our overnight no-knead focaccia dough (recipe below)
- Olive oil
- Ripe and juicy cherry tomatoes (can also use baby plum tomatoes)
- Salted anchovies (don’t like them? just leave them out or go double tomato and add sun-dried tomatoes for that salty, umami flavour).
- Dried oregano
Visual walk-through of the recipe
The full written recipe and video showing the folding techniques can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1 – mix the dough ingredients until no dry bits remain; it will have a rough texture (photos 1-4).
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItStep 2 – perform the first corner fold. To do this, wet your hand then grab one edge of the dough pull it up gently without tearing it and fold it into the middle of the dough. Repeat this all the way round the dough then cover the dough and leave it for another 30 minutes.
Repeat the step above one more time (photos 5 and 6).
Step 3 – Now it’s time to perform the first of 2 coil folds. To do this, wet both hands well, then gently pick the dough up from the middle and stretch it up. Let it fall back down and repeat the step until you can lift the dough right out of the bowl. Let the dough fall back down with the ends folding in on themselves. Turn the bowl and repeat this from the opposite edge.
Cover and leave the dough for 30 minutes, then repeat the step above one more time. Place the dough in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours (photos 7 and 8).
Step 4 – Grease your baking tray well with olive oil and grease your hands. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it in the tray. Gently stretch it out to fit the tray, then cover and let it double in size at room temperature (photos 9-11).
Step 5 – Grease your hands again and create dimples all over the focaccia using your fingers. Top with the cherry tomatoes and anchovies, then sprinkle over some dried oregano and a drizzle of oil (photos 12 and 13).
Step 6 – Bake in the oven until golden brown (about 25 minutes) (photo 14).
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Use a kitchen scale – as always, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale when working with flour. It’s so easy to over or under measure flour using cups.
- Proofing time – this all depends on your ambient temperature. The dough will proof much quicker in a warm environment.
For this recipe, yes. An overnight fermentation is needed when a small amount of yeast is used; it also greatly improves both texture and flavour of the dough.
More pizza and focaccia recipes to try
Pizza
Focaccia Pizza
Bread & Savory Bakes
Walnut Focaccia
Bread & Savory Bakes
Easy Overnight No Knead Focaccia
If you’ve tried this Cherry Tomato Focaccia Recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest or sign up to our Newsletter to see more of our delicious food.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
Cherry Tomato Focaccia with Anchovies and Oregano
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 g Italian 00 flour, (approx 3 and 3/4 cups spooned and levelled)
- 400 ml water, (1 and 2/3 cups)
- 1 g (¼ teaspoon) instant yeast, (please see notes)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil plus more for greasing and topping
- 7 g fine salt, (1 level teaspoon)
For the topping
- 200 g (7 oz) Cherry tomatoes , (about 20 tomatoes), cut in half
- 50 g (2 oz) salted anchovies , (about 14 anchovy fillets)
- Dried oregano
- Olive oil, for topping
Instructions
The day before
- Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and place the yeast and salt at opposite ends of the bowl. Please check your packet instructions to see if your yeast needs activated in water first (see notes).
- Add the water and stir in to form a rough dough. Add the olive oil, then continue to stir the dough with a spoon until there are no dry bits left. It should look very wet and sticky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
- Next, uncover the bowl and wet your hands well with water. Using one hand, fold each edge of the dough into the middle (see photos or video for reference). This takes just a few seconds. Re-cover the bowl and let it rest for another 30 minutes.
- Repeat the step above once more, then leave it again for 30 minutes.
- Next, wet your hands again and do a coil fold. To do this, pick the dough up from the middle and stretch it right up until to feel the edges start to come away from the bowl. Release the dough then do this again up to 3-4 times until you can lift the dough right out of the bowl without tearing it. Place the dough back in the bowl letting the ends fold in on themselves. Repeat it from the opposite edge you started with (I recommend watching the quick video below as this is a very simple technique but can sound so complicated written out).
- Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes then repeat this another twice with 30 minutes rest in between.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight or up to 48 hours.
Same day of baking
- Remove the dough from the fridge and put it in a well-oiled baking tray. Drizzle more olive oil over the top then place more plastic wrap over the tray. Let the dough proof at room temperature until almost doubled in size (don’t put it near any direct sun or high heat).
- Pre-heat the oven to 230C (450F). Oil your hands well and drizzle a small amount over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to create dimples all over the dough (try not to burst any air bubbles).
- Top the focaccia with the cherry tomatoes, anchovies and a sprinkling of dried oregano.Give it another light drizzle of olive oil then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before cutting. You can serve the focaccia warm or at room temperature.
- It’s best served the same day (see notes for storing leftovers)
Video
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this and added dried black olives! Was delicious!!!
Yum, that’s such a great idea! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
bread really is therapeutic to make, isn’t it! This looks so good with the tomatoes and anchovies. All I need now is a glass of wine and I am happy
Definitely, thanks so much Dahn.
Focaccia is such a great bread. I wish it was used more and I really appreciate your recipe. I can use it with so many meals.
Thanks so much Ginny, that’s so kind of you!
Look so good! I love focaccia bread, usually buy from the store! And I am a big fan of anchovies!
Thanks Rika, I love anchovies especially after baking them in the oven like this!
Thanks for giving easy step by step recipe for this gorgeous looking cherry tomato Focaccia with anchovies,, making it over the weekend.
Thanks so much Jagruti, I hope you enjoy it!