Easy Focaccia Pizza
I kept this one simple because the kids love a classic Margherita. What would you top yours with?
This is a very wet dough, don’t panic. Trust the process and follow the method.
Same day Pizza
(makes 4 small or 2 large)
Prep time
30 min
Cooking time
15 min
Resting time
3 hours
Ingredients
- 350 ml lukewarm water
- 7 g instant yeast
- Squeeze honey (about 1 tbsp)
- 500 g strong/bread flour
- 1 tbsp salt
Instructions
Add water to the bowl and mix in the yeast, then add honey and mix again. Add the flour and salt and mix well until combined. Cover and rest 30 min.
After 30 min wet your hand and do 4 stretch‐and‐folds (wet your hands between each). Cover and rest 30 min.
After 30 min repeat 4 stretch‐and‐folds and cover and rest for 1–1.5 hours.
Flour your work surface generously and the top of the dough, then turn it out. Sprinkle a little flour on top and cut into 4 portions (or 2 for large pizzas).
Slightly stretch each piece and fold the edges inwards to form a round. Pinch the top closed, turn them over, shape into balls, and place on a heavily floured dish. Sprinkle more flour so they don’t stick, cover with a damp towel for 45 min. (Or refrigerate airtight overnight if prepping ahead.)
Heat a frying pan with olive oil and set your grill to high. Shape the dough by gently stretching it, then add to the hot pan and drizzle/brush oil around the edges. Once the dough puffs up, add toppings and let the base brown and crisp (5–7 min), then transfer under the grill for 6–8 min until cooked.
—OR— bake in a super-hot oven: preheat to max with your baking dish inside, transfer the pizza onto the hot dish, and bake until done.
Enjoy D 🫶
Easy Focaccia Pizza
Cooking time
30 min
Prep time
30 min
Ingredients
Dough
375g bread flour
7g instant yeast
½ tbsp salt
340g lukewarm water
40–60ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing
Pizza Sauce
1 tin plum tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée
4 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Handful of fresh basil
Topping
Mozzarella (grated and/or fresh)
Extra fresh basil
Instructions
Mix all the dough ingredients together until fully combined. The dough will be very sticky and wet. Cover with a plate, tea towel, or plastic wrap and rest for 20 minutes.
With wet hands, fold the dough 8 times, wetting your hands as needed to prevent sticking. Cover again and rest for 45 minutes. At this stage, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours, completely airtight. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes before continuing.
Use a non-stick baking dish or line with greaseproof paper. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil and oil your hands well.
Pour the dough into the dish, helping it out with your hands if needed. Fold the dough inward twice, rotate the dish 90°, then flip the dough over. Gently stretch from underneath to slightly fill the dish, being careful not to tear it. Cover and rest for 45 minutes. After 20 minutes of resting, preheat the oven to 220°C (fan).
To make the sauce, blend the tomatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Stir through the basil at the end.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the dough and oil your fingers. Dimple the dough all over, spread with the tomato sauce, then dimple again.
Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 18–20 minutes. Remove from the oven, add the mozzarella, then return to the oven on the middle or top shelf for 15–18 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
Allow to cool for around 10 minutes, remove from the dish, slice, and serve.
Enjoy D 🫶