Description
This recipe features a delightful focaccia pizza combining the fluffy, airy texture of focaccia bread with classic pizza toppings. The focaccia dough is made from scratch using all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, and olive oil, resulting in a soft, flavorful crust. Topped with pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, and creamy ricotta cheese seasoned with herbs and red pepper flakes, this easy-to-make focaccia pizza is perfect for a tasty homemade meal that balances rustic bread and traditional pizza flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Focaccia:
- 4 3/4 cups (570 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (12 grams) fine sea salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
- 2 cups (452 grams) warm water
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (21 grams) honey
For the Pizza:
- 1 12-ounce jar pizza sauce (RAO’s brand recommended)
- 2 cups (about 8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
- Thick-sliced pepperoni, as much as desired
- 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk ricotta cheese, seasoned with salt, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano
Instructions
- Prepare the Focaccia Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and fine sea salt. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast in warm water and add the honey to activate the yeast. Allow it to sit for a few minutes until frothy, indicating yeast activation.
- Mix and Knead the Dough: Add the yeast mixture and olive oil into the flour mixture. Stir until a dough forms, then knead the dough by hand or with a mixer fitted with a dough hook until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1.5 hours or until it has doubled in size.
- Shape the Dough: Prepare a baking sheet or pizza pan by greasing it with olive oil. Transfer the risen dough onto the pan and gently stretch and press it out to fit the pan, creating dimples with your fingers across the surface to prevent bubbling.
- Second Rise: Allow the shaped dough to rise again on the pan for about 20 to 30 minutes, until slightly puffy.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) to prepare for baking the focaccia base.
- Bake the Focaccia Base: Bake the dough for 15-20 minutes until it develops a golden-brown crust and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Add Toppings: Remove the focaccia from the oven and evenly spread the jar of pizza sauce over the crust. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese generously, arrange thick-sliced pepperoni to your liking, and dollop the whole milk ricotta cheese seasoned with salt, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano across the pizza.
- Bake the Pizza: Return the topped focaccia to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.
- Serve: Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes, slice, and serve warm. Enjoy your delicious homemade focaccia pizza with its perfect blend of crispy crust and savory toppings.
Notes
- Ensure the water for activating yeast is warm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
- You can substitute pizza sauce with homemade marinara if preferred.
- For extra flavor, drizzle additional olive oil on the focaccia before the first bake.
- The ricotta can be seasoned to taste – adjust salt, red pepper flakes, and oregano according to preference.
- Store leftovers wrapped in foil or airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven for best texture.
Keywords: focaccia pizza, homemade focaccia, easy pizza recipe, Italian pizza, pepperoni pizza, ricotta pizza, pizza with focaccia dough