I started making focaccia when I needed to find a use for some leftover pizza dough. I enriched it with olive oil, topped it with kosher salt, and baked it in a pan. We ate it with olive oil and balsamic, and it was lovely.
Mechanic
Focaccia is pizza dough enriched with olive oil, baked in an oiled pan rather than on a stone. The heavy oil in the pan fries the bottom crust as it bakes, giving it crunch, and more oil drizzled over as you dimple soaks into the top. Deep dimples aren’t decorative; they anchor toppings and prevent the dough from puffing unevenly. Rest the dough between spreading attempts; it will relax and spread to the corners without tearing.
Ingredients
- 1 batch Pizza dough (1 kg dough, split into 2–3 portions)
- olive oil, a generous amount for the pans, the top, and the herbs
- coarse salt
Toppings (any combination)
- olives
- garlic cloves, smashed
- cherry tomatoes
- fresh herbs, or dried herbs steeped in olive oil
Brine (optional)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 120 ml (½ cup) water
- 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
Method
Put the dough portions in heavily oiled pans and let them rise until puffy and close to room temperature, 1–2 hours. Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) partway through the rise, so the dough isn’t waiting on a cold oven.
Prepare the toppings. If using herbs, steep them in olive oil for 10–15 minutes.
Drizzle olive oil over the dough and press it toward the corners of the pan with your fingers. If it springs back, let it rest 10 minutes and try again; with enough rest it spreads without resistance. Once it’s spread, press deep, generous dimples across the whole surface.
Scatter the toppings evenly over the dough. Press larger items (olives, tomatoes) gently into the dimples so they don’t roll off. If using the brine, whisk it together and drizzle it over. Finish with coarse salt.
For thinner focaccia, bake until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. For thicker focaccia, lower the oven to 190°C (375°F) and bake until deep golden, 35–40 minutes.
Take it out of the pan right away and cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before cutting.
Notes
- The brine is traditional but tends to wash the herbs off. Worth trying, but optional.
- Leftovers keep well at room temperature for 1 day. Reheat in a hot oven for 5 minutes to refresh the crust.