Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours 45 minutes
Taste: Like pizza on steroids. So fresh and SO GOOD.
Texture: The absolute best part. Combine the rich and chewy yet soft focaccia texture with gooey melted cheese and you’re in heaven.
Ease: Definitely not a quick weeknight recipe, but totally doable nonetheless.
Appearance: Absolutely positively mouthwatering.
Pros: Incredible pizza right out of your own kitchen.
Cons: Not an everyday meal.
Would I make this again? Absolutely yes.
Best ever? That’s a pretty bold statement. I know.
Obviously taste is extremely subjective but I think that if you follow my blog we’re pretty much on the same page food wise, at least most of the time.
As someone who shares recipes for a living I’m always open to inspiration from everywhere I go and everything I taste. This Focaccia Pizza was inspired by an incredible slice of pizza al taglio that I ate at Pizzeria Bianco here in Phoenix (the restaurant is apparently one of Oprah’s favorites) and something I saw on the Food Network late one night. I’m sure glad all this inspiration hit at once because it helped to create seriously one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating.
The moment I took it out of the oven and saw those blistered spots of fresh mozzarella, the simple and pure tomato sauce, the fresh basil, and of course, the ultra thick, chewy, and rich focaccia crust I knew it was going to be good. It’s quite an impressive sight. Luckily it tasted even better. If you make this recipe soon be sure to come back and let me know if it ranks as a favorite for you and your family too. It’ll be like a virtual pizza party!
You can use the same amount of active dry yeast in place of the instant yeast. Simply allow the active dry yeast to proof for five minutes with the water before adding in.
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm (110-115°F) water
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups (11.3 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 (15 ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 ounces fresh Mozzarella cheese, sliced
Fresh basil
Pizza toppings
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, sugar, and half the flour. Stir to combine. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and on low speed add in the remaining flour, salt, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Once the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 to 6 minutes, or until smooth and soft. If the dough is really sticky, add in another tablespoon or two of flour.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, at least 1 hour. OR place the dough in a large plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge or for a few hours at room temperature. Proceed with the recipe.
Coat a 9 by 13-inch pan with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Put the dough onto the pan and begin pressing it out with your fingertips to fit the size of the pan. Coax and stretch the dough to fit the entire pan, or just about. Spread your fingers to make little holes all the way through the dough.
Cover the dough with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a medium bowl combine the tomatoes, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Brush the focaccia with the olive oil on the pan. Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce over the dough. Reserve the remaining sauce for another use (it freezes pretty well). Top with the cheese and other desired toppings. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before cutting and serving.
© Handle the Heat - handletheheat.com
Oh thick crust pizza is my fave. I often make focaccia, but I never thought of making it in a pizza form, it looks delicious. Have to try it next time!
Yum!! These photos have me craving pizza already! 🙂
Dani | http://www.styledvariety.com
This looks delish! I personally love thick, fluffy pizza bases so this is ultra tempting 🙂
Thanks Tessa!
I saw your post late this afternoon and said “I have to have that!” It just came out of the oven and, YES, it is wonderful. My husband is in heaven too. The ‘crust’ is oh so light. We topped it with artichoke hearts, sliced olives and shallots (and some red pepper flakes for some heat) I used fire roasted tomato’s also. I’m going to make another tomorrow and take it to a pot luck in the evening. Thanks for another killer recipe!
WOW!! How awesome!! So glad you like the recipe 🙂 🙂
I love the way you make food pizza and biscuits
You gave me the confidence to try working with yeast for the first time! Oh boy am I glad you did — this is delicious!!!
So happy to hear that, Leah!!
Hi,
This looks fantastic! I’m curious…will the “fast rise” trick of turning the oven on for a minute, then off, then rising the dough in there work?
Thanks!
WOW! The flavor was just amazing! I couldn’t stop eating! But, took me three tries to get it right. In the end, I had to use an 8 by 16 inches pan because my dough was getting too much big and as a result was taking 50 minutes to bake, burning the popping a little.
What could possibly be the reason?
I’m brazilian and live in Brazil, by the way.