Don’t feel intimidated by the thought of making focaccia from scratch. The base recipe could not be easier and there are no tricky techniques or secrets to getting the consistency right. The only thing you need to consider is time. I’ll often make the dough a day before I want to serve it, pop it in the fridge and then finish the focaccia the next day.
It’s a recipe the whole family can enjoy making. Get the kids involved and let them have fun and choose their toppings. You’ll be blown away by how fluffy, soft and delicious the end result is.
Sarah Pound’s focaccia base
Prep 15 min
Prove 3-15 hr
Cook 30 min
Makes 1 large loaf
4 cups (600g) plain flour
2 tsp fine salt flakes
1 tsp (7g sachet) dried instant yeast
2 cups (500 ml) lukewarm water, made with ½ cup (125 ml) boiling water and 1 ½ cups (375 ml) cold water
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
Butter, for greasing
Salt flakes
To make the dough, mix together the flour, fine salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm water and use a spatula to bring the ingredients together. You may want to use your hands towards the end to incorporate all the flour. Shape the dough into a ball and smear the olive oil around the outside, making sure it is well coated. Return the dough ball to the bowl. Place a damp tea towel on the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap to make it airtight. Transfer to the fridge for three to 12 hours.
To cook the focaccia, grease a 33cm x 22cm baking dish with the butter and extra olive oil. Place the dough ball in the dish and let it rest for about three hours on your kitchen bench. The dough will naturally move and spread.
Preheat the oven to 220C (fan-forced). Once the dough has rested, make dimples in the surface with your fingers. You don’t have to be gentle here.
Add your chosen toppings and push down slightly on the topping ingredients to partially submerge them in the dough. Season well with the salt flakes.
Bake the focaccia on the middle shelf in your oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let it rest for five minutes, then cut and serve.
Cherry tomatoes, olives and rosemary
1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup (155g) kalamata olives, pitted
1 tbsp rosemary leaves
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt flakes
Black pepper, freshly ground
Make the focaccia according to the method above.
When it is ready to bake, mix together the cherry tomatoes, olives, rosemary and olive oil in a bowl and season well, then add the topping to the dough.
Bake the focaccia as per the method. Remove from the oven, rest and serve.
Salami, basil and buffalo mozzarella
1 cup (250g) pizza sauce
150g (1 cup) mozzarella, freshly grated
10–12 hot salami slices
1–2 fresh buffalo mozzarella balls, torn
1 large handful of basil leaves
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Make focaccia according to the method above, spread the pizza sauce over the focaccia dough, followed by the mozzarella and then the salami slices. Bake as per the method above. Remove the focaccia from the oven, scatter on the buffalo mozzarella and basil and serve.
Caramelised onion, thyme and goat’s cheese
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 onions, finely sliced
Pinch of salt flakes
1 tbsp thyme leaves, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
100g soft goat’s cheese
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes until the onion is soft and golden. Add the thyme, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, stir well and cook for a few minutes more until the onion is caramelised.
When the focaccia dough is ready, spread the caramelised onion evenly over the focaccia dough. Bake as per the method above. Remove the focaccia from the oven, crumble on the goat’s cheese and sprinkle on the extra thyme, then serve.
Cherry tomatoes, zucchini, ricotta and chilli
1 cup (250g) pizza sauce
2 zucchini, sliced into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
Pinch of salt flakes
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
150g fresh ricotta (or stracciatella), drained
Pinch of chilli flakes
1 handful of basil leaves
Make the focaccia dough, then spread the pizza sauce evenly over the top. Arrange the zucchini ribbons on the sauce and sprinkle on the salt. Distribute the cherry tomatoes evenly over the surface, then gently press them into the dough.
Bake as per the method above until the focaccia is golden and the tomatoes are blistered. Remove from the oven and immediately scatter the cheese over the warm focaccia. Sprinkle on the chilli flakes and basil and serve.
