Easy Focaccia Pizza and Victoria

Hello and welcome to Pizza and a Movie! Today’s pizza all started with focaccia. I hadn’t intended to turn it into a pizza, but then again, when am I not trying to turn things into pizza? So this gorgeous, puffy focaccia became a pizza with pesto, shallots, ricotta, a little bit of mozzarella, finished with preserved lemon and fresh thyme. The toppings are minimal, the freshness of the flavors really let the focaccia shine. Are you ready to give this one a go? Let’s get right to it!

I have tried my hand at focaccia several times, but this was by far the best one I have made yet. The rest have all been just fine, but this one was ahead of the rest. I think it’s mostly because instead of making it in a sheet pan, I opted to use my Detroit Pizza Pan (11×14-inches). So the result was a puffier focaccia with a crispier bottom and edges. A flatter focaccia is perfect for pizza, really, but I really wanted to go all the way with this one!

Easy Focaccia Dough

Start the focaccia a day ahead for the best results. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 2.25 teaspoons active dry yeast, 2 teaspoons honey and 2.5 cups lukewarm water. I like my lukewarm water to be 76-80 degrees F. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes, until it’s foamy and/or creamy. If it’s not at least creamy-looking, start again because your yeast might be dead.

Then add 5 cups of all-purpose flour and 5 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Mix this together with a silicone spatula until a shaggy dough forms.

Set the dough aside and pour 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil into a separate large bowl (be sure to use a bowl that is large, but will still fit in your fridge). Then transfer the shaggy focaccia dough to the oiled bowl and turn the dough over to evenly coat the dough in oil. Cover this with plastic wrap and but it to bed in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.

The Next Day…

So now it’s Friday and time for Easy Focaccia Pizza! Take the dough out of the fridge. It should have doubled in size and have noticeable bubbles.

For a thick focaccia like the one we are making today, generously butter an 11×14-inch baking pan. For a thinner focaccia that is more appropriate for pizza, (Lol!) butter an 18×13-inch rimmed sheet pan. Then pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the center of the pan.

Now turn your attention to the dough. We will make a few quarter-folds. Lightly oil your hands and lift and pull the side of dough farthest from you (12:00 position), and fold it over itself. Then turn the bowl 1/4 of the way round (so the folded part is at 9:00), and make another lift and fold-over. Turn and lift and fold one more time.

Now carefully pour/transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan. Pour any remaining oil from the bowl over the Easy Focaccia dough and turn the dough over once to coat it in oil. Let this sit in a warm spot, uncovered, for at least 1.5 hours. You may have to leave it up to 4 hours if it’s chilly in your kitchen. You want the dough to double in size and fill the pan; it should be puffy and bubbly. While the focaccia is rising, place an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

To test the dough’s readiness, poke it with your finger. If it springs back very slowly and leaves an indent, it’s ready. If it springs back immediately, let it sit a bit longer and test again.

When your dough is ready, lightly oil your fingers and dimple the entire surface of the dough. Press down firmly, but be careful to not break through the bottom of the dough. Drizzle one more tablespoon of olive oil over the dough and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

Bake the dough for about 20 minutes, until it’s lightly golden. If you want to forgo the pizza and just make a kick ass focaccia, bake it for 20-30 minutes, until its golden brown on top. For the rest of us making pizza, it’s time to top!

Dot the top with pesto. Layer on the mozzarella. Dollop on the ricotta. Then top with thinly sliced shallot. Go easy on each component – we don’t want to overwhelm the focaccia.

Put the Easy Focaccia Pizza back in the oven for 5-7 minutes, just until the cheese has melted. When it comes out of the oven again, let it sit for a couple of minutes.

Then ease it out of the pan with a spatula, onto a cutting board. Then, top it with thinly sliced preserved lemon peel and fresh, minced thyme.

Easy Focaccia Pizza with Pesto, Shallot and Preserved Lemon

Is this focaccia gorgeous without toppings? Yes. Did I really need to complicate this gorgeous focaccia with toppings? Probably not. But then it wouldn’t be Pizza and a Movie! Also, seeing how simple this focaccia is to make, I can go ahead start another batch to make another one (which I will leave plain!) tomorrow!

Going easy on the toppings lets the focaccia be the star of the show. It also lets each topping give its own performance without overpowering another. You can clearly taste each topping: the basil pesto is fresh and herby; the ricotta and mozzarella are creamy and rich; the shallots have cooked enough to be slightly sweet, but still have their gentle allium bite; and my favorite part – the preserved lemon adds a deeply savory tartness that carries the whole thing for me.

Movie Night: Victoria

We have our Focaccia Pizza ready, so let’s get to the show! If you’ve been following Pizza and a Movie, you will know that I have lately been obsessed with period pieces. The BBC show, Victoria premiered in the US on PBS, as part of Masterpiece Theater, in 2017. It centers on the rise of the young Queen Victoria, beginning in 1837. The costumes and the decoration of the palaces and houses is a feast for the eyes. Romance and drama with the royals, the courtiers, and the downstairs staff abound. The show takes dramatic liberties, obviously, but there are actual historical events that lead the charge in much of the drama. The relationship between the monarchy and parliament is interesting… Though Victoria’s reign saw the monarchy become more symbolic than political over time, her influence on politics in the early part of her reign is significant.

Victoria is streaming on Amazon Prime with a subscription; episodes are available to buy on Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play and Amazon Prime.

Thank you all so much for joining me today for Pizza and a Movie! If you want to make a Sourdough Focaccia, I have a recipe for that too! Check out Sourdough Focaccia with Rosemary. Have a wonderful weekend, take care and be well. xo Kelly

Print Recipe

Easy Focaccia Pizza

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

Dinner, Main Course – American/Italian

By Kelly Djalali - Focaccia Recipe Adapted From Bon Appétit – Serves: 6-8

Prep Time: 2 Hours (plus, overnight rise) – Cooking Time: 20-25 Minutes – Total Time: 2-3 Hours (plus, overnight rise)

Puffy, golden focaccia is topped with ricotta, pesto, shallot and mozzarella. Finished with fresh thyme and preserved lemon.

Ingredients

• Easy Focaccia
• 2.25 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
• 2 tsp. Honey
• 2.5 cups Lukewarm Water, 76-80 degrees F.
• 5 cups All-purpose Flour
• 5 tsp. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt or 1 Tbsp. Morton Kosher Salt
• 6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Unsalted Butter, for greasing Pan
• Flaky Sea Salt
• Focaccia Pizza
• 3 tbsp. Pesto
• 1/3 cup Grated Low-Moisture Mozzarella
• 1/4 cup Ricotta
• 1 Shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. Thinly Sliced Preserved Lemon
• 2 tsp. Minced Fresh Thyme

Instructions

Easy Focaccia

1

Start the focaccia a day ahead for the best results. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 2.25 teaspoons active dry yeast, 2 teaspoons honey and 2.5 cups lukewarm water. I like my lukewarm water to be 76-80 degrees F. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes, until it's foamy and/or creamy. If it's not at least creamy-looking, start again because your yeast might be dead.

2

Then add 5 cups of all-purpose flour and 5 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Mix this together with a silicone spatula until a shaggy dough forms.

3

Set the dough aside and pour 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil into a separate large bowl (be sure to use a bowl that is large, but will still fit in your fridge). Then transfer the shaggy focaccia dough to the oiled bowl and turn the dough over to evenly coat the dough in oil. Cover this with plastic wrap and but it to bed in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.

4

Take the dough out of the fridge. It should have doubled in size and have noticeable bubbles.

5

Generously butter an 11x14-inch baking pan. For a thinner focaccia, butter an 18x13-inch rimmed sheet pan. Then pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the center of the pan.

6

Make a few quarter-folds in the dough: lightly oil your hands and lift and pull the side of dough farthest from you (12:00 position), and fold it over itself. Then turn the bowl 1/4 of the way round (so the folded part is at 9:00), and make another lift and fold-over of the dough at the 12:00 position. Turn and lift and fold one more time.

7

Now carefully pour/transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan. Pour any remaining oil from the bowl over the Easy Focaccia dough and turn the dough over once to coat it in oil. Let this sit in a warm spot, uncovered, for at least 1.5 hours. You may have to leave it up to 4 hours if it's chilly in your kitchen. You want the dough to double in size and fill the pan; it should be puffy and bubbly. While the focaccia is rising, place an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

8

To test dough's readiness, poke it with your finger. If it springs back very slowly and leaves an indent, it's ready. If it springs back immediately, let it sit a bit longer and test again.

9

When your dough is ready, lightly oil your fingers and dimple the entire surface of the dough. Press down firmly, but be careful to not break through the bottom of the dough. Drizzle one more tablespoon of olive oil over the dough and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

10

Bake the dough for about 20 minutes, until it's lightly golden. If you want to forgo the pizza and just make a kick ass focaccia, bake it for 20-30 minutes, until its golden brown on top. For the rest of us making pizza, it's time to top!

Easy Focaccia Pizza

11

Dot the top with pesto. Layer on the mozzarella. Dollop on the ricotta. Then top with thinly sliced shallot.

12

Put the Easy Focaccia Pizza back in the oven for 5-7 minutes, just until the cheese has melted. When it comes out of the oven again, let it sit for a couple of minutes.

13

Then ease it out of the pan with a spatula, onto a cutting board. Then, top it with thinly sliced preserved lemon peel and fresh, minced thyme. Slice into big squares and serve.