Pizza Bread Focaccia

This pizza bread focaccia is the perfect fusion of the two favorite Italian flatbreads. It's technically our cult classic pizza dough recipe with the focaccia toppings worked into it and baked in a free form shape. It makes the perfect sandwich bread or appetizer next to a bowl of homemade arrabiata.

Course Baked Goods

Cuisine Italian

Keyword focaccia, pizza bread

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Proofing 3

Total Time 3 35

Servings people

Calories 232kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

2.5 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp fennel seeds lightly toasted
1 sprig rosemary roughly chopped
1.5 tsp instant yeast
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
3/4 cup mashed potato (1 large gold potato peeled, cooked + mashed)
3/4 cup warm water

Olive Mix

1/2 cup black olives diced or chopped
1 Tbsp brined capers roughly chopped
1 roasted red pepper peeled + diced
3 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions

In a small bowl combine the chopped olives, roasted pepper, capers and olive oil. Set aside.
1/2 cup black olives, 1 Tbsp brined capers, 1 roasted red pepper, 3 Tbsp olive oil
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, yeast, salt, garlic, fennel and rosemary.
2.5 cups all purpose flour, 1 Tbsp fennel seeds, 1.5 tsp instant yeast, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 1/2 tsp granulated garlic, 1 sprig rosemary
Add the mashed potato and with your hand work it into the flour mixture until a coarse rustic texture is achieved.
3/4 cup mashed potato
Pour in the water and combine until a shaggy dough is formed. It will look kind of dry and messy at this point and that’s great!
3/4 cup warm water
Add the olive mixture and using your hand start kneading it into the flour mixture until combined and dough is formed. Sprinkle a little extra flour around the sides and the top if need be to make it easier to work with, but don’t add too much.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a tea towel and allow to rise in a draft free area for 2 to 3 hours until double in size.
Once your dough looks ready preheat your oven to 475”F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly brush it with oil.
Transfer the focaccia dough to the baking sheet and using your fingers press dimples into it while also gently stretching to the sides without breaking the gluten strands. Keep doing this motion until the focaccia is spread into 1/2 inch thickness or so. You can shape a round circle like a pizza, a rectangle or square whatever you fancy. It’s a rustic free form shape so don’t sweat it.
Loosely cover the focaccia with some parchment paper and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes while the oven is preheating. You want to give the gluten strands some time to bounce back.
After 30 minutes remove the cover and drizzle with olive oil over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven @475"F for 20 minutes or utility nicely golden on top. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling wrack for 10 minutes or s before slicing into it.
Serve with a thick Pomodoro sauce for dipping.

Notes

The Filling - Best to make your own mix of olives, capers and even roast your own pepper. However you could also just use about 1 cup of store-bought tapenade instead.

Nutrition