Focaccia Pizza Supreme (Printable View)
Airy focaccia base layered with herbed tomato sauce, mozzarella and a medley of peppers, olives and mushrooms.
# What You'll Need:
→ Focaccia Dough
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ cups warm water
03 - 2 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
05 - 3 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
→ Pizza Sauce
06 - ¾ cup passata or tomato purée
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon sugar
→ Toppings
12 - 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - ½ cup sliced pepperoni or vegetarian alternative (optional)
14 - ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
15 - ½ green bell pepper, thinly sliced
16 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
17 - ½ cup sliced black olives
18 - ½ cup sliced mushrooms
19 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, for garnish
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, and fine sea salt. Pour in the warm water and 3 ½ tablespoons of olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky, shaggy dough comes together.
02 - Knead the dough gently directly in the bowl for 1 to 2 minutes until it becomes slightly smoother. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set in a warm, draft-free spot and let rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in volume.
03 - While the dough rises, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the passata, dried oregano, salt, and sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool.
04 - Generously coat a large baking sheet (approximately 12x16 inches) with olive oil. Turn the risen dough out onto the prepared sheet. Using oiled fingertips, gently press and stretch the dough toward the edges. If the dough springs back, let it rest for 15 minutes before continuing to stretch.
05 - Preheat the oven to 425°F, positioning the rack in the center.
06 - Using your fingertips, press deep dimples across the surface of the dough. Drizzle lightly with additional olive oil. Pre-bake for 10 minutes until the dough is just set but not yet browned.
07 - Remove the par-baked focaccia from the oven. Spread the cooled pizza sauce evenly over the surface. Scatter the shredded mozzarella, then arrange the pepperoni (if using), sliced red and green bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and mushrooms. Finish with freshly ground black pepper.
08 - Return the assembled focaccia pizza to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly and the edges are deep golden brown.
09 - Allow the focaccia pizza to stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil, cut into squares, and serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crust is forgiving and requires zero fancy technique, just warm water, flour, and patience while it rises.
- You can load it with whatever toppings you have hanging around, making it the ultimate clean out the fridge dinner.
- It feeds a crowd effortlessly and looks like you spent far more time on it than you actually did.
02 -
- If you rush the rising time the crust will be dense instead of airy, so give it the full two hours if your kitchen is cool.
- Prebaking the focaccia before adding toppings is the step that prevents a soggy center, never skip it.
- The dough improves dramatically if you mix it the night before and let it slow rise in the fridge, which also splits the work across two days.
03 -
- Coat your hands generously with olive oil before touching the dough, it prevents sticking and adds flavor at the same time.
- Let the sauce cool completely before spreading it on the parbaked crust so you do not slow down the final bake.