The pesto and cherry tomato pull-apart focaccia is sociable, aromatic and perfect for an evening with friends. Inspired by the famous pull apart bread from the US, this focaccia is portioned by pulling the little balls apart one by one; you can find both sweet and savory versions. My take brings the recipe closer to Italian flavors, with fresh pesto, juicy cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano, for an irresistible, shareable result.
I used my faithful Bimby to make it, but it’s very easy to prepare without one: a bowl and a fork are enough. I chose sourdough starter, which gives extra fragrance and softness, making each ball fluffy and fragrant.
It’s a vegetarian recipe, easily adaptable to a vegan version with small substitutions, and perfect to customize to your taste. Also, for our monthly collaboration, there is a gluten-free variant made by Viaggiandomangiando80: I prepare the gluten version while she offers the gluten-free version. At the end of the recipe you’ll find all references to discover her proposal.
Perfect as an appetizer, for an aperitif or to accompany a dinner with friends, this focaccia will win everyone over… piece by piece!
For more ideas for an evening with friends check out these links:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 15 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the pesto and cherry tomato pull-apart focaccia
- 4 cups type 0 flour
- 1 2/3 cups water
- 4.6 oz sourdough starter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 2/3 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp diastatic malt (for baking) (diastatic for baking)
- 1 cup Genovese pesto
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano, grated
- 1 1/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tools to make the pesto and cherry tomato pull-apart focaccia
- 1 Planetaria
- 1 Spianatoia
- 1 Tarocco
- 4 Ciotole
- 1 Teglia
- 1 Carta da forno
Steps
For this recipe I used the Focaccia Leggera flour from Mulino Colombo, which makes the dough soft and light, but I’ve also indicated an easily found alternative in the ingredients.
The method is structured for the Bimby, but it’s identical if you mix with a stand mixer. With a twin-arm mixer, instead, you can combine the flour, starter, malt and half the water straight away, mix quickly and then continue with the following steps as indicated.
At least one hour before mixing, prepare the flour autolysis.
This step helps begin forming the gluten network and makes the dough easier to work, especially with mixers that tend to heat up, like the Bimby.
In a bowl sift the flour with a sieve and add half of the water (about 1 2/3 cups).
With a fork or a wooden spoon, quickly mix the water and flour. The result will be a coarse, loose and quite dry dough. Cover it and set it aside in a cool place (in summer it can rest in the fridge). Autolysis time is a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 2 hours.
In the Bimby bowl, break up the sourdough starter and add 100 g (about 3.5 oz) of water and the malt.
Close the Bimby and run it at speed 4 for a couple of minutes, or until the sourdough starter is completely dissolved.
Add the autolysed dough you prepared earlier into the Bimby and knead on spiga (dough hook-like mode) for about 4–5 minutes, until you obtain a homogeneous dough. To avoid overheating, I recommend making pauses every three minutes, possibly detaching the dough from the blades.
Add the salt and the extra virgin olive oil to the dough and continue working in spiga mode for another 2–3 minutes, until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Once the bowl is clean and the dough is fairly smooth (don’t worry too much: most of the work will be done during rest times), let it rest for about 30 minutes, either in the Bimby bowl or on the workboard, covered with a dome.
After this time, the dough will be a bit smoother. Perform slap and fold stretches on the workboard and then place it in an oiled container. Let it bulk ferment for 2–4 hours depending on room temperature, then transfer it to the fridge overnight.
The next day, take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to temperature. Meanwhile, wash and dry the cherry tomatoes, then halve them and sprinkle with a little salt to draw out some juice.
Prepare the pesto (or buy it). You can use any kind of pesto, the classic Genovese one or other variations: here you can find some of my homemade pestos. Pour the pesto into a bowl and add a little extra virgin olive oil if it seems too stiff.
Pour the Pecorino Romano into a bowl and set everything nearby, including the dough, which at this point should be doubled.
Now it’s time to shape the balls for the pesto and cherry tomato pull-apart focaccia. Lightly dust the workboard with semolina and place the dough on it. Using a bench scraper, divide into many small portions: size is up to you. Roll them slightly to obtain uniform balls.
Take the pesto and roll each ball inside the bowl, making sure it is completely coated.
Do the same with the Pecorino Romano: pass each ball through the bowl so it’s well coated with cheese.
As the balls are seasoned, transfer them to a baking pan lined with parchment paper, arranging them next to each other but not too close.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the balls double in size. It will take about a couple of hours, roughly. It depends a lot on the strength of the starter and the room temperature.
Once risen, oil your hands with a little olive oil and press them into the focaccia, creating small dents in each ball. The balls will come together and form the characteristic ridges of the pull-apart focaccia.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 428°F in conventional mode so it’s properly heated before baking.
Drain the cherry tomatoes and spread them over the pull-apart focaccia, taking advantage of the ridges you created with your hands.
Before baking, spread the remaining pesto over the pull-apart focaccia and sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano.
As soon as the oven reaches temperature, lower it to 392°F and bake the pesto and cherry tomato pull-apart focaccia. After about 20 minutes check it, because the Pecorino Romano on top may brown too much.
When out of the oven, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and the focaccia will be ready to serve.
The pull-apart focaccia can also be made gluten-free. On her blog, Selene made a sweet version, which you can find here. On Instagram you can find the savory version — the one in the photo — made with mozzarella, seeds and her gluten-free sourdough starter.
Storage and tips
The pesto and cherry tomato pull-apart focaccia is best just out of the oven, soft and aromatic, but it keeps well for the following days: you can keep it for up to 2 days at room temperature, covered with a clean cloth or in an airtight container, or in the fridge for 3–4 days, warming it slightly before serving. You can also freeze the balls already formed and seasoned, separated with parchment paper; simply thaw them in the fridge overnight before baking. The recipe is structured with sourdough starter, but you can also use dry yeast following the indications in the FAQ. The method works perfectly with the Bimby, but is identical with a stand mixer; if you use a twin-arm mixer, just combine flour, starter, malt and half the water (autolysis) right away and continue with the next steps. You can customize the balls with other pestos, aromatic herbs, seeds or a cheese mix, remembering to dust the workboard with a little semolina to prevent sticking.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use mozzarella in the pesto and cherry tomato pull-apart focaccia?
Yes! To melt it without burning, add the mozzarella halfway through baking so it remains stringy and soft.
Can I use dry yeast instead of sourdough starter?Certainly! Just replace the sourdough starter with dry yeast, adjusting the quantity of yeast according to the timing you want to achieve and follow the recipe. The result will taste slightly different, but will still be soft.
Can a vegan version of the pull-apart focaccia be made?
Yes, you can replace the Pecorino Romano with nutritional yeast or plant-based cheeses and choose a vegan pesto without cheese.
How long does the pull-apart focaccia keep?
It stays soft for up to 2 days at room temperature, covered with a clean cloth or in an airtight container, or 3–4 days in the fridge, warming slightly before serving. You can also freeze the balls already seasoned, separated with parchment paper.
Can sweet versions of the pull-apart focaccia be made?
Yes! In sweet versions some of the water can be replaced with milk, and the fillings can be similar to cinnamon rolls, such as creams, apples, raisins or other fruits. The procedure remains the same: form the balls, fill them and bake, obtaining a soft and indulgent focaccia.
What other ingredients can I add to the balls?
You can enrich the balls with seeds, aromatic herbs, a little coarse salt or even a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil before baking, to add more flavor and variety to the pesto and cherry tomato pull-apart focaccia.
Can other types of pesto be used in the pull-apart focaccia?
Yes! Besides the classic Genovese pesto, you can use vegetable pestos, herb blends or versions with almonds or walnuts, customizing the pull-apart focaccia to your taste.
