This Lievito Madre tomato focaccia is an Italian bread that is naturally leavened with a pasta madre sourdough starter which gives it a crisp crust, open crumb and tangy flavor! It’s topped with cherry tomatoes, olive oil and oregano for the perfect complement to any meal.

Focaccia on a wire rack with a slice cut.

This Lievito Madre tomato focaccia is my latest obsession! It’s a version of my lievito madre sourdough focaccia and another way to use a lievito madre sourdough starter.

Using sourdough stater to make Italian focaccia bread gives it such depth of flavor! It adds a slightly tangy flavor and gives the bread an open, airy texture while still retaining everything we love about this Italian bread – the golden crust that is salty, oily and crunchy.

Why I Love This Recipe

If you need a lievito madre recipe, this is a great beginners recipe for focaccia ai Pomodorini con pasta madre. Use your mixer to knead the dough then let it rise hands-free!
This open crumb focaccia with pasta madre takes time to rise but the process makes it more flavorful, digestible and aromatic! Topping it with tomato and herbs adds to the taste.

Ingredient Notes

Bread flour: Bread flour, or 0 flour, is best as it has a higher gluten content. This stronger gluten protein helps create structure in the bread.
Lievito madre starter: The sourdough starter must be active, meaning it has been fed recently.
Lukewarm water: Water hydrates the dough as flour is added.
Milk: I recommend 2% or whole milk as it adds more rich flavor to the dough.
Honey: This sugar helps feed the natural yeast.
Salt: An important part of focaccia as it helps give this Italian bread its distinct flavor.
Cherry tomatoes: I love to use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes because they taste great year round and are less watery but any type of tomato will work including heirlooms.
Olive oil: Use an extra virgin olive oil you like as this is essential to the flavor and texture of the focaccia bread.
Oregano: I love oregano in this variation but other dried herbs like rosemary or thyme would also be delicious.

preparing the starter

If you are using a refrigerated starter, remove it from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature for 1-2 hours.
Remove the top layer of the dough (the drier part), weigh the dough and add enough water to equal half the weight of the dough. Add 105 grams of flour for every 100 grams of the weight of the starter. Stir until combined and then move a lightly floured surface and knead until sticky yet compact.
Divide dough into two. Place the amount needed for this recipe into a clean bowl to let rise for 3-4 hours so it is ready to use and the remaining dough then add to a clean jar, let rise for an hour at room temperature then refrigerate.

How to Make Lievito Madre Tomato Focaccia

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with flat beaters add water, room temperature milk and the active lievito madre.

Lievito madre and water and milk in mixing bowl.

Beat to combine for a couple of minutes, then add flour and combine, cover with plastic wrap and let rest.

Add the remaining flour and water, knead with the dough hook. Add the salt and knead again.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and gently make indentations with fingers in the dough, cover loosely and let rise in a draft free warm area until doubled in bulk.

Cut tomatoes in half and place them cut side down on top of the risen focaccia. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano. Bake until golden brown and baked through. Let cool for 5 minutes, cut and serve.

The tomato focaccia before and after baked in the pan.

Baking Tips and Variations

Wet hands: To break your lievito madre starter into pieces wet your hands before handling the starter.
Preheated oven: A preheated oven is crucial to the success of this tomato focaccia made with lievito madre sourdough starter. It allows the dough to get a boost and rise.
Dimpling the dough: Aim for a gentle massage versus a tiny fingertip dimpling or dribbling. Really dimpling the dough is crucial in re-distributing the airy gas cells in the dough for an airy focaccia.
Create steam in the oven: This will lead to a lievito madre tomato focaccia with the best crackly crust! You can either quickly spray the dough with water before placing it in the oven or add a very hot cup of water to a pan on the bottom shelf of the oven then quickly shut the oven door.
Metric system: It’s best to use the metric system when you work with lievito madre. A kitchen scale comes in handy with any sourdough recipe!
Play around the toppings: Make focaccia pugliese by adding black olives or add sun-dried tomatoes, thin sliced potatoes or onions.

More Lievito Madre Recipes

I have to say I love experimenting and making new recipes with my lievito madre and I hope you enjoy this Tomato Focaccia as much as I did! Buon Appetito.