Pizza Friday: Pepperoni Focaccia
with hot honey drizzle.
Hi Bakers!
I am back with another Pizza Friday recipe for you all. This time, we are doing a pizza focaccia. Topped with classic pepperoni and a light layer of cheese, these thick squares of chewy focaccia are best served with a drizzle of hot honey.
Pizza Friday is a weekly tradition at my house. Pizza is the perfect food - chewy, saucy bread, stretchy cheese, and practically any topping you can think of. We started making our own pizzas at home to keep costs down and have more control over ingredients, and now it’s one of our favorite nights of the week!
This focaccia pizza leans more focaccia with pizza flavors. The thick bread is chewy and soft with a crispy bottom. I’ve gone light on the cheese but not on taste. It is topped with classic pepperoni that curls and crisps around the edges after baking.
I was inspired by Pizza Supreme Being, a pizza joint in my hometown of Sacramento and also one of our editor’s favorite spots. They make both a focaccia-style pizza as well as a one dubbed the “Heat Wave” that uses hot honey. I’ve combined the two ideas here.
What you’ll love about making homemade focaccia is that it is super hands-off while still rewarding you with the fluffiest, chewy bread ever. I use an overnight method that makes the refrigerator do all of the heavy lifting. This does require some planning, so make sure to start the dough on Thursday if you’re planning your own Pizza Friday.
The dough starts by chucking the ingredients in a bowl and stirring to combine. No kneading required!
The most satisfying part is shaping the dough after the second rise. Use your fingertips to squish and dimple the oil-slicked top into the pan. This will give the focaccia its signature texture. I love the way the sauce and cheese find these little pockets to settle in as well.
What is hot honey? It is pretty much like it sounds. You can make your own by simmering honey with crushed red pepper flakes or simply use a jarred variety (I did). My husband, who loves all things spicy, pointed out that this would also be good with thinly sliced jalapenos on top. Yum!
Hot Honey Pepperoni Focaccia
The Ingredients:
5 cups (625g) bread flour
4 teaspoons fine sea salt, like Diamond Crystal
2 ½ teaspoons dry active yeast
2 ½ cups warm water (100 to 110°F)
5 tablespoons (74ml) olive oil, divided
½ cup (120ml) pizza sauce
6 ounces (170g) shredded mozzarella (about 1 cup)
5 ounces (140g) sliced pepperoni
Hot honey, for drizzling
The Method:
12 to 24 hours before baking, start the overnight focaccia dough. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the yeast to the warm water (microwaved until warm to the touch) and stir to dissolve. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour bowl. Stir together with a stiff rubber spatula until the dough comes together to form a slightly wet but uniform dough.
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl (with plenty of room for it to rise). Drizzle a tablespoon of oil on top and spread with your fingers to cover the surface. Cover the bowl in plastic and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 3 days.
About 4 hours before serving, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 2-inch deep ¼-sheet pan (9X13-inches) with parchment paper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of the pan.
Punch down the dough. Gently gather the dough by scooping one hand under each side and pulling it up out of the bowl. Place the dough in the oiled pan. Spread a little extra oil from the pan with your fingertips on top of the dough. Cover with plastic and let sit for about 3 hours at room temperature. When done, the dough will be puffy, doubled in size, and become quite jiggly.
Drizzle the remaining oil over the top and spread with your hands. Use the fingertips of both hands to poke, squish, and dimple the dough all over.
Spoon the pizza sauce on top and add the mozzarella. Toss on the pepperonis.
Bake the focaccia on the center rack for 28 to 35 minutes. I prefer mine to be quite browned and edges crisp. Remove the focaccia from the oven and carefully take a peek under one of the corners to ensure that the bottom is brown. If not, bake on the bottom rack for a few extra minutes.
Cool the focaccia 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a drizzle of hot honey, if desired.
Serving and Storage:
This is an overnight recipe and needs plenty of time for a second rise, so plan accordingly. The dough can be started up to a few days in advance.
Store leftovers wrapped in foil or in a lidded container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes.
Baker’s Notes:
You may use either bread or all-purpose flour. Bread flour will give it a more chewy texture, but I’ve made similar focaccia with all-purpose and it is still great.
If you find that the bottom didn’t brown as much as you prefer during baking (even after it has cooled slightly), you can try popping it back in the oven on the bottom rack (typically where the heat comes from) for a few minutes.
The second rise will depend on the temperature of your kitchen. We are pulling a pretty large amount of cold dough from the fridge that needs ample time to warm back up and double in size. If your room is warm, then it may take less time. My house is regularly 20°C/68°F, and it takes 3 to 4 hours for this amount of dough.
Great bread and hot honey made it even more delicious