Focaccia Pizza Supreme (Printable)
Airy focaccia crust topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, peppers, olives and basil for a hearty, shareable main.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Focaccia Dough
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 cups warm water
03 - 2 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
05 - 3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
→ Pizza Sauce
06 - 3/4 cup passata or tomato purée
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
→ Toppings
12 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni or vegetarian alternative (optional)
14 - 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
15 - 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
16 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
17 - 1/2 cup sliced black olives
18 - 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
19 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, for garnish
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and fine sea salt. Pour in the warm water and 3 1/2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky, cohesive dough forms.
02 - Knead the dough gently directly in the bowl for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Place in a warm, draft-free spot and let rise for 1 to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in volume.
03 - While the dough rises, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the passata, dried oregano, salt, and sugar. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and let cool.
04 - Coat a large baking sheet (approximately 12x16 inches) generously with olive oil. Turn the risen dough onto the prepared sheet. Using oiled fingers, gently stretch and press the dough toward the edges. If the dough resists, let it rest for 15 minutes before continuing to stretch.
05 - Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), positioning the rack in the center.
06 - Dimple the surface of the stretched dough firmly with your fingertips. Drizzle lightly with additional olive oil. Pre-bake for 10 minutes until the crust is just set but not yet browned.
07 - Remove the partially baked focaccia from the oven. Spread the cooled pizza sauce evenly across the surface. Scatter the shredded mozzarella in an even layer, then arrange the pepperoni (if using), sliced red and green bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and mushrooms over the cheese. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
08 - Return the topped focaccia to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling and the crust edges are deep golden brown.
09 - Let the focaccia stand for 5 minutes to set. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil, cut into squares, and serve warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The focaccia crust stays soft and pillowy inside while crisping up on the bottom, giving you a texture regular pizza dough simply cannot match.
- It feeds a crowd with almost no fuss, since you press the dough into a sheet pan rather than stretching individual rounds.
- The overnight fridge option for the dough develops a depth of flavor that will make people think you trained in Naples.
02 -
- If you skip the prebake step the dough will be gummy and raw in the center no matter how long you cook the toppings, so those ten minutes are nonnegotiable.
- Mixing the dough the day before and letting it slow ferment in the refrigerator overnight transforms the flavor entirely, giving you a complexity that same day dough simply cannot achieve.
03 -
- Coat your hands generously with olive oil every time you touch the dough, because the oil prevents sticking and simultaneously enriches the crust.
- Let the sauce cool completely before spreading it on the parbaked focaccia, since hot sauce will create steam that makes the surface soggy.