Focaccia Pizza

Let me introduce you to my latest obsession: Focaccia Pizza! It has the thick, pillowy base and crisp golden edges of traditional focaccia bread and all the toppings of a great pizza. This deep-pan pizza is truly a joy to prepare and eat – I guarantee you will fall in love with it too!

Each slice will have the generous fluffy texture and crisp yet thin crust plus you can customize the toppings as you like of course! I find focaccia much a much easier pizza base because there’s no shaping involved – the dough is simply placed in a pan where it rises and stretches all by itself. 

You don’t need a wood-fired oven or any special tools to make great focaccia pizza either – a regular home oven will do just fine! 

Focaccia Pizza

Focaccia is a traditional Italian flatbread, most closely associated with Genoa in Liguria. It dates back to Roman times and is still immensely popular to this day. It is one of my favorite bread recipes with a dough that’s incredibly easy and joyful to prepare – that dough dimpling is so soothing! 

Pizza, another Italian invention, hails from Naples, where thin, crisp bases dominate. A focaccia pizza marries these two Italian classics to create a pan pizza that’s perfect for casual family meals – large enough to feed a hungry crowd!! You might know it by other names too such as square pizza, pan pizza or Detroit-style pizza.

Here’s What You’ll Need

• Bread Flour – Provides structure for the thick, airy focaccia base. All-purpose flour can also be used if needed.
• Rapid rise yeast – This quick action yeast granules are mixed with the flour before any liquid ingredients are added.
• Salt – The third essential ingredient in any bread recipe, salt regulates the action of the yeast and adds flavor.
• Water – I like to use tepid filtered water.
• Honey or sugar – I always add a little to my bread recipes.
• Olive Oil – Adds richness and helps create a golden, crisp crust.
• Toppings – From fresh mozzarella and tomatoes for a classic margherita vibe, to pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, or even a scattering of olives. Once you master the basic recipe you can let your imagination run wild!

How to Make Focaccia Pizza

Prepare the dough

1. Place the flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl or a large pyrex container (you need to allow plenty of space for the dough to rise). Add the water, olive oil and honey and stir to combine until you have a shaggy dough.
2. Leave the dough for 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb some of the water. Do a series of stretches and folds: lift the edge of the dough with oiled hands or a dough whisk and fold over towards the middle. Repeat, turning the bowl until you have done a series of four folds. The dough will be very loose and sticky – which is exactly as it should be! 
3. Drizzle the dough with olive oil, cover and transfer to the fridge for 12-24 hours – the dough will become very bubbly and will rise to more than double its original size. (See Recipe Notes if you want to skip the slow rise!).

Prepare the focaccia pizza base

1. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and leave it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Line the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper and brush the paper and sides of the pan with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. 
2. Add the dough to middle of the prepared pan, drizzle with a little oil and start dimpling with your fingertips so it starts to expand in all directions.
3. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave the dough to relax for 30 – 40 minutes or until it fills the whole pan (you can repeat the dimpling process once or twice, as needed).

Add the toppings and bake

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F ( 230°C) for at least 30 minutes. Just before baking, dollop marinara sauce (you can use my San Marzano tomato sauce or this Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce ) over the base – don’t spread it, we don’t want to deflate the dough).
2. Add the pepperoni slices and remaining cheese, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the pan 180° halfway through and keeping an eye on those toppings. 
3. If the toppings are getting too dark and the base still needs further cooking, cover the pizza loosely with foil and bake for 5 minutes longer or until the underside is golden brown (lift the edge with an offset spatula to check). The internal temperature should be 210°F (99°C) at the center checked with an instant-read thermometer. 

Serve and enjoy! 

1. Transfer the pan pizza to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife then slip a spatula under the paper to lift and slide the pizza onto a cutting board.
2. Cut into slices and serve immediately – maybe with a drizzle of hot honey if you are feeling extra!

Recipe Notes and Tips

• If are after pizza in a hurry, let the dough rise at room temperature for 90-120 minutes or until doubled. Shape and use as per recipe method.
• You can use my other focaccia recipes for the base – such as sourdough focaccia or sourdough discard focaccia (with added yeast).
• Using a stand mixer: Add the flour, yeast and salt to the bowl of a hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir to combine, add wet ingredients and beat until a shaggy dough forms. Let the dough rest for a few minutes and beat again until the dough becomes elastic and supple.
• Focaccia Pizza has a thick crust and soft, bubbly, pillowy interior – you can load it up with toppings, but don’t spread them over the dough to avoid deflating it. You may need to adjust the cooking time and temperature depending on your oven and type of toppings used.
• Make sure your container has enough space to allow for the dough to double or triple as it rises. If it is too small, the dough may bubble over!
• Leftovers and Storage: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or the air fryer to restore crispness (avoid the microwave!). To freeze, wrap slices in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze flat for up to 3 months. Bake or air fry from frozen until hot and bubbly.