Focaccia From Pizza Dough: How to Make It?
- Simon
- Last Updated on October 31, 2023
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Focaccia bread and pan pizza are very similar with pan pizza getting mistaken for focaccia all the time because of the texture and look, and vice versa. That being said, it is completely possible to create a delicious focaccia from pizza dough.
To achieve this very delicious feat, you can use either a store bought pizza dough or you can make your own using this wonderful recipe for a pan pizza dough. This is the perfect recipe for a pizza, a focaccia or even a focaccia pizza!
One of the factors that is gonna make the difference and help transform your pizza dough into a delicious focaccia bread is the toppings that you use and how much you let your dough rest to create those lovely air bubbles.
Normally focaccia has very simple toppings such as olives, sliced onions, flaky salt, fresh herbs such as rosemary, and a drizzle of olive oil whereas pizza has a sauce, a cheese such as mozzarella, and other toppings such as bacon, chicken, beef etc. and sometimes even vegetables.
Using the method below of preparing the dough and transforming it into something different will give you a golden brown crust similar to the pan pizza crust, but will yield a fluffier texture as is it not as weighed down by all the different toppings and has had more time and space to rest on the baking pan.
This will be the only focaccia pizza recipe that you need to know as it will enable you to make focaccia bread from any store-bought pizza dough as well as any pizza dough recipes that you may have or use.
Why it is possible and how to do it
Pizza dough and focaccia dough are very similar with the only noticeable difference being that focaccia dough usually contains slightly more oil and liquid as well as more yeast but overall the two can be used interchangeably in most cases.
To transform a dough that you made from scratch, you will let it rise once in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap for 1-2 hours until it has doubled in size, and then gently place the dough on an oiled sheet pan without knocking out the air. You will then add more olive oil over the top and cover everything loosely in plastic wrap again to let it rise a second time for around 40 min.
After the dough has risen for the second time, you will use your fingers to make dimples in the dough and then add toppings as well as a drizzle of olive oil. Let the dough rise again for a few minutes and then place it into the oven to bake at 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit) for around 20-30 min or until the crust is crunchy and golden brown.
If you are using a store-bought pizza dough, it is a similar process with a small difference. The store-bought dough will have been in the fridge overnight or throughout the day but it will have had its first rise during that time.
This means that you will then move on to the second step by letting the dough come to room temp and then gently spreading it on the oiled sheet pan, drizzling it in olive oil, letting it rise, adding the dimples and toppings, and baking it.
Either way your focaccia pizza recipe will turn out absolutely amazing and it is a great way to use excess pizza dough or just simply a shortcut if you are a novice baker or don’t have enough time to make a focaccia bread from scratch.
Tips And Tricks
Air bubbles are a signature characteristic of focaccia bread and the best way to achieve that is to ensure that you knock out as little air as possible while you are working with the dough and allowing it to rest as much as possible.
The way to do this is to transfer the dough to the sheet pan as gently as possible and allow it to spread mostly on its own instead of trying to push it into every corner as you would do with pizza dough. You will also dimple the dough and allow it to rest afterward for a few minutes before baking it.
A good way to add some extra flavor to your dish is, to put it very plainly, salt. A sprinkle of flaky salt over the top of your dough either before or after baking makes a world of difference and will give you an amazing flavor as well as enhance the flavor of all the other toppings, just don’t add too much!
A crunchy crust on your focaccia is definitely just as desirable as a crunchy pizza crust and the way to achieve that is to add some oil to your sheet pan that you will be baking your focaccia on and to preheat your oven before baking your focaccia.
Toppings
The toppings for focaccia bread are normally kept simple but that does not mean that there are not delicious combinations from every food group even if they are not as excessive as pizza.
The most popular toppings for focaccia bread include combinations such as garlic and rosemary, sun dried tomatoes and olives, cherry tomatoes and sliced onions, and even caramelized onions and garlic butter, all of which are topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
There are also a few different ways to incorporate your toppings, as they are usually just sprinkled over the top, but did you know that you can even add things such as different herbs, cheese, or even bacon into your dough? This not only adds flavor but also texture that gets spread throughout the whole thing.
Some other combinations for toppings include goat cheese, rosemary and pistachio, pesto and parmesan cheese (the pesto sits beautifully in the dimples of the dough), and even shrimp and chorizo.
Cheese is also a very good addition but it should be added in moderation as it can overpower the taste of the other toppings or weigh down the top of the focaccia.
If you are feeling the theme of pizza into focaccia, you can even top your dough with some pizza sauce, a sprinkle of cheese, and a protein such as pepperoni slices to give you the best of both worlds!
These techniques can be applied to most recipes and pretty soon they will be second nature to you. If you are looking to learn some more interesting skills, be sure to check out our guide on how to freeze your own pizza dough and your own homemade pizza.
These skills are sure to last you a lifetime and will surely cut your prep time in half once you have mastered how to make your own pizza and focaccia.
Frequent Asked Questions
Is pizza dough the same as focaccia dough?
Pizza dough and focaccia dough are similar and use the same ingredients but the difference is the ratio of wet to dry ingredients and the amount of yeast that is used.
Focaccia dough has more liquid for the amount of flour that it uses than pizza dough and it also contains slightly more yeast.
Can pizza dough be used as bread dough?
In most cases, yes, you can use your pizza dough as bread dough. You will achieve this by knocking out the air after the first rise, shaping your dough and allow it to rise, and then bake it off.
What can I use pizza dough for?
Pizza dough can be used in a variety of different ways. It can be used to create bread such as focaccia, dinner rolls, pita bread, crackers (it will be rolled out very thin and baked until it is very crispy), baguettes, and of course calzones and much more. This is possible because the dough is very similar to a lot of other doughs and can as such be substituted in some cases.
How is focaccia dough different from bread dough?
Although focaccia dough is similar to bread dough one of the biggest differences is that it contains more yeast than normal dough as well as more liquid for the amount of flour that it uses.
How to make bread out of old pizza dough?
If you have leftover pizza dough that you want to make bread out of you need to ensure that it has risen only once. You will shape your dough into your desired shape (baguette, rolls, etc.) and get as much of the air out in the process as you can, and then add some flour to the pan that you will bake it on before placing the dough on it.
You need to let the dough rest on the pan with plastic wrap over it so that it can rise again, but keep in mind it is not going completely double in size. Once you have let the dough rise, you will then bake it as you would normally bake bread.
Is Sicilian pizza just focaccia?
The two are very similar but Sicilian pizza usually has more toppings added to it whereas focaccia is kept simple and focaccia dough also has more yeast added to it.
Is focaccia considered pizza?
Focaccia is considered closer to bread than to a pizza although some varieties of pizza are very similar to focaccia.
Is Italian bread dough the same as pizza dough?
They are similar but pizza dough uses a higher protein flour although all the other ingredients such as yeast, salt, olive oil, sugar and salt, are the same.
Why is focaccia bread so good?
Focaccia bread has a very smooth texture and taste which makes it a favorite of many people. It is also very customizable so you are able to make a focaccia with a big variety of your favorite toppings.
What kind of flour is best for focaccia bread?
Bread flour is the best flour to use for a focaccia dough but substituting some of it for all-purpose flour will give you a more elastic texture.
