Dreaming of a vacation? Well, turn your dream into reality (kind of) with this Focaccia Pizza. Imagine the Italian countryside as you indulge in the fabulous focaccia crust topped with the sauciest tomato sauce and all the meltiest mozzarella and parmesan cheeses you can imagine. Don’t sleep on this Focaccia Pizza… it can take you places you’ve only ever dreamed of. Pack your dinner bags (aka your dinner plate) and enjoy the view.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast or active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
For the pizza:
- olive oil, to taste
- 1 1/4 cups pizza sauce
- 3/4 cup smoked mozzarella, shredded
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- kosher salt, to taste
- fresh basil, torn into pieces, to taste, for topping
Directions
Step 1 –In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, the yeast, 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt, the oregano, and the garlic powder and stir to combine.
Step 2 –Add the warm water and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the flour mixture and stir until the flour is incorporated.
Step 3 –Knead the dough by hand, pushing with the base of the palm, and form the dough into a ball.
Step 4 –Continue kneading the dough until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior, about 8 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading.
Step 5 –Using floured hands, gently shape the dough into a boule (kind of like a squashed ball or a typical rounded loaf) by folding the dough under itself.
Step 6 –Place the boule into a covered bowl and allow it to rest until it has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Step 7 –Brush the olive oil onto the bottom and sides of a 13×18-inch sheet pan.
Step 8 –Place the dough onto the sheet pan and press it with oiled fingers until it evenly covers the pan.
Step 9 –Cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow the pressed dough to rest for 15 minutes.
Step 10 –Press the dough back into the corners of the pan. Dot the entire surface with finger indentations. Brush the top of the dough with the olive oil and allow the dough to rest for 1 hour.
Step 11 –Preheat the oven to 515 degrees F.
Step 12 –Bake the pizza dough for 10 minutes.
Step 13 –Reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
Step 14 –Add the pizza sauce, the smoked mozzarella, the fresh mozzarella, the parmesan cheese, and the salt.
Step 15 –Bake the pizza until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 16 –Sprinkle the pizza with the basil.
Step 17 –Serve immediately.
